Beauty Beyond Human Skin

A week or so ago, a blog post entitled “Not Everyone is Beautiful” made its rounds through the social media circuit. The article spoke to the idea that beauty has become an expectation for success in our society. It is a trait that is highly valued and is an ideal that everyone, particularly women, should strive for. There is a trend to broaden the idea of beauty, saying everyone is beautiful, and expanding the word to represent any positive attribute. A word, which primarily denotes physical attractiveness, is now being used to give a person value. Being beautiful is the highest level of achievement in our society. The original article can be read here: http://nathanbiberdorf.wordpress.com/2014/06/09/not-everyone-is-beautiful/

While reading this article I went back and forth in my mind. I appreciate the stand the author took, and think he made a very valid point. We absolutely have an obsession with appearances in our culture, an obsession that has undoubtedly influenced our vernacular.

On the other hand though, I am not so sure that there is anything wrong with expanding the usage of the word beauty. The meaning of words change constantly, words are invented, reclaimed and often stray far from the original intention. In my mind, the world beauty has been expanded, and that doesn’t have to be a negative. The world beauty to me denotes a deeper sense of attractiveness, almost spiritual. Clouds, aspen trees, ladybugs, moments, emotions, and yes, people can all be beautiful to me. When I say that I am speaking not about the appearance, but the full, happiness that they bring to me. I feel that the word beauty has much more to do with the reaction it stirs, rather than the inherent attraction of the object of beauty.

When I want to tell a partner that they are physically looking good I tend towards words such as handsome, gorgeous, sexy, pretty, fine, hawt, totally fuckable, schoen, hubsch, cuddly or on a special day, titillating. Beauty on the other hand is for special moments, laying in bed noticing how her eye curves just perfectly, or realizing that her arms feel like the perfect jacket.

The sentiment of the article remains valid, not everyone is attractive, and there is no reason for there to be an expectation that everyone strives for physical beauty. The idea that the word beauty should be reined back, saddens me though. I do think that everyone has moments of beauty, and in using that word it expresses the positive reaction related to the moment, rather than the innate value.