[Original entry 04.feb.2007 // Edited
09.april.2007]
It always
made me curious how Tori would age. Of course, in her early forties Tori isn't old-old, but she's obviously
turned a page. And honestly, I'm surprised with how she's
handled the issue of aging.
First thing that comes to mind are her
looks. Although Tori has always been known for her profound
interest in making oneself beautiful on the inside, truth is girl
hasn't lost one minute taking care of the outside either. But there's a long way from
the fiery redhair that who used to wear thight bodysuits to the sophisticated
fairy matron who goes onstage every night wrapped in layers of rich
colorful tissue to. My point is exactly, what are the pivotal elements
underlying this process and what do I find unsettling about it?
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As time's gone by Tori's devoted an ever
growing efford to keep herself looking good. This efford has implied
building a classier image through expensive clothing (which has
raised among some fans the issue whether she's become a snob, or
not. Matter which I find of no true relevance), and creating a youthful
allure through heavy make up, fancy hairdos, and all sort of beauty
treatments, specially those concerned with avoiding facial wrinkling.
It is hard bringing my point forward,
because I am not attacking Tori directly. I've always admired her, and I
think she's gorgeous. So let me elaborate further. I do not have
anything against people doing things to feel good about themselves, what
I feel unconfortable with is how in our society "good" will
very much be equated with "youthful". This equation cancels
out a lot in our lives and benefits but a few.
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There are this million-worth industries
interested in making us think our natural bodies are unsuitable, so that
we go and spend whatever we can afford to in changing who we are. I
guess it is OK when you have an enormous income, but I don't like how we
are pushed through advertisement to consacrate SO MUCH of our time and
money to that cause, being looked down if we chose not to follow
this state. Besides, there's the eternal gender issue: wherever an
old man will be regarded as experinced, wise, interesting,
mature, charming, an old woman will be harshly judged as sloppy and
be sent home to get herself some beauty rehab in order to continue being
valuable. Women get so much more belittlement than men do!
Specially on the ground of looks. The silent statenebt is
that women ARE their looks, that that's their worth and their main
function in life. According to this, women's sense of life is being
beautiful to please. I regret we put so little effort in making e a case
for having our say on this one.
And the thing is, I always thought Tori
would make more of a case about it. That's all I am saying here. I hoped
she would address this issue in the strong femininist vein she loves
using for other issues. I expected Tori to age more naturally and appeal
to a less frivolous vision of woman. I don't mean she should look shaggy
and cancel lipstick...I just wish she's be less involved in the
women-object apparel.
On the other hand, I understand what a
though call it must be for her living on the entretainment industry,
ever demanding, ever competitive. She needs stay in, she needs
meeting some basic business standars in order to keep being part of a
huge record company. I don't blame her at all. At 43 Tori
is as great a musician as ever, but, unfortunatedly, we live in a cruel
world where looks count a great deal, and women are looked down for
aging. I think I can sort of get Tori on
this one.
I would just love to her to know how much I've always admired her for
being a source of inspiration though her music, of comfort thought her
honest sharing; that she's always been great not just for what she
looks like, but for what she's been able to give to the world. I
admire and respect her enormously, always despite her age and what she
looks like.
True talent will remain forever ageless.
~ * ~
A
very nice thought on the topic:
"The beauty myth countered
women's new freedoms (social, laboral) by trasposing social
limits to women's lives directly onto our faces and bodies. In
response, now we must ask the questions about our place in our
bodies that women a generation ago asked about their place in
society.
What is a woman? Is she what is
made of her? Do a woman's life and experience have value? If so,
should she be ashamed for them to show? What is so great about
looking young?[...] Assuming that someday women can be altered
cheaply, painlessly, and with no risk, is that to be what we must
want? Must the expressiveness of maturity and old age become extint?
Will we lose nothing if it does? look like someone else? Is
there something implicitly gross about the texture of female flesh?
The inadequacy of female flesh stands in for the older inadequacy of
the female mind. Women asserted that there was nothing
inferior about their minds; are our body really inferior?"
(Naomi Wolf, "The Beauty
Myth")