"Another Celebrity Posed Semi-Naked at 55 and I Hate It" (Kelly Eden)
The beauty of which you write is only a facade.
It is a construct of our particular culture and we are conditioned to it. The conditioning, as is usually the case, is insidious and reinforced by those that can benefit from it.
This superficial beauty or superficial view of it, almost always results in abuse. Those who don't have it are likely to feel 'second rate', to one degree or another. Those who do have it are likely to be used by others, until they no longer have it, when they too will be disregarded - thrown away.
There are many reasons for this distorted image of women, not least in western society, the notion cultivated by Christianity of 'original sin' and Eve being blamed for causing the downfall of Adam.
I couldn't even begin to detail the appalling effects of this on society and the role and attitudes of men and women within it. Suffice it to say that 'insidious' hardly does justice to its ill effects. - (For those who don't understand, I suggest you read: The Gospel according to woman by Karen Armstrong.)
Today, of course, the maintenance of a false and, I suggest, detrimental, mistaken and contorted view of what constitutes a beautiful woman, is ensured because it serves the purposes of those who benefit from it. Whole industries have evolved to make outlandish amounts of money out of ensuring that women purchase all manner of products that they don't need but are conditioned and tempted and shamed to want, in order to make themselves beautiful or try to keep themselves that way.
It is insulting and demeaning to the female half of the human race. (Yes, I know that many will argue that there are no longer simply two sexes but that's a discussion for another time and place - please accept that I mean no offense to any non-binary individual.)
It is a cliche´, I know, but the reality is that real beauty is much more than 'skin deep'. We ought not to judge others or ourselves on the basis solely of physical appearance. It is sad that so many of us, so often do so. Individuals have so many more qualities than their appearance and all contribute to their worth - their beauty, if you wish.
As bad, if not worse, is that the benchmark against which we judge is facile. Even if physical appearance were the only valid criteria for judgment, there is no single concept of what constitutes beautiful or a beautiful woman, even within cultures, let alone across them.
Those who cannot see beyond a socialised and indoctrinated view of beauty as flawless or perfect divorce themselves from life and what it is to be and to appreciate being alive. Beautiful is that we are and can be. If only we choose to open our eyes and see.
