tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945963440619724585.post952499365485449481..comments2019-11-28T19:49:22.371-05:00Comments on Telenovelas, Culture & Society-Fall 2015: Unrealistic beauty standards dominate Latin AmericaDr. Carolina Acosta-Alzuruhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14044528426964053093noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945963440619724585.post-51646505121904521112015-12-03T18:52:18.345-05:002015-12-03T18:52:18.345-05:00Valentina, I agree with a lot of this! I think the...Valentina, I agree with a lot of this! I think there's a perception in that in the states, there's freedom to be whoever you want. But in reality, there's still those categories that reign supreme. <br /><br />Especially in college, I've experienced some negativity for not just rolling out of bed and coming to class. Which I've always thought was strange––why would we want people to think we don't care about ourselves? I think it's interesting that in every country and culture there's a different expectation.<br /><br />I feel like what I'm really trying to say, is that is should be okay to express yourself in any way without fear of being told you care too much, look too basic, or dress too crazy. Hopefully, telenovelas (and society in general!) can begin to accept all different representations, without judgement. Callie Wardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16757224258954811526noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945963440619724585.post-26988072574878137452015-12-02T21:35:23.034-05:002015-12-02T21:35:23.034-05:00Hey Kelly! (this is long but bear with me! it read...Hey Kelly! (this is long but bear with me! it reads fast!) <br /><br />I really agree that this crazy perception of beauty completely dominates latin American countries. I am a Latina by birth, I was born in Colombia, and I see this so prevalently in my country! It is very sad… BUT I can say there is an upside. Let me rewind a bit: I want to be careful in saying this, because of course I am a woman as well, and living under these standards hurts me deeply in certain occasions… but I chose to see the bright side of it as much as I possibly can. Sometimes I feel like the freedom to be whoever you want to be, specially found in America, is actually quite limiting sometimes. The pressure to be SO different is paralyzing sometimes for anyone- we have coined the terms “basic” and everyone associates Starbucks and Ugg boots to “basic girls”. I think this is just as bad as what the latin American countries are doing in pressuring women to be a certain look, have a certain hair color, or specially a certain body type. A very positive thing comes out of this expectation of beauty is: healthy competition (emphasis on the H.E.A.L.T.H.Y). I experience this any time I leave this country- I may think I’m different and dress well here in America, but as soon as I leave the country, I see how much people care about their appearances and how much effort they put into this! This makes me want to work harder, care more, research more new trends and stay on top of everything that matters to me. I do NOT believe your size, look, weight, body type, hair color, nail length, skin color (or whatever stupid thing people nit-pick) determines your worth- I DO believe what matters is how you present yourself to the world. How you go about this is a CLEAR representation of how you view yourself, and how you respect yourself. When you could care less and show up to class in you PJs (or something along those lines) you are showing the world exactly that- you. don’t. care…. Should why should we? <br /><br />I really think these could be some positive things (when done right, and you stay healthy physically and emotionally) to come out of this expectation of beauty. I’m not sure why viewers still seem to want the same old-same old steamy hot actors, but I’m also not complaining! At the end of the day, all I personally care about is someone’s genuine talent and dedication to their craft. That would make anyone more attractive! <br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06407335777972200006noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945963440619724585.post-20004670299826705812015-11-29T23:42:04.010-05:002015-11-29T23:42:04.010-05:00Also one more thing that I just thought of as I...Also one more thing that I just thought of as I'm watching my novela tonight - everyone is beautiful. Even the parents are extremely fit for their age. The principal is probably like 60, and she's been seen rocking a bathing suit. The only person who is slightly chubby (and I mean slightly) is constantly called out for being "fat." Unrealistic indeed.Alisa Enochshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01626625708161701305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945963440619724585.post-5491080587616297602015-11-29T20:23:19.534-05:002015-11-29T20:23:19.534-05:00I agree with Sophie that this is an important topi...I agree with Sophie that this is an important topic in the entire entertainment industry, including that in the U.S.. But I also understand why you critique beauty standards particularly in Latin America, especially after our discussions in class (the one you mentioned about Venezuela and plastic surgery). It's a popular joke in the U.S. that movie stars are particularly beautiful while television actors are just casually attractive. So I think maybe it says something that a television genre that comes out of Latin America is expected, by audiences, to have "A-list" attractiveness. Alisa Enochshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01626625708161701305noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3945963440619724585.post-73556250745386369642015-11-27T16:09:21.262-05:002015-11-27T16:09:21.262-05:00I think that this is such an important topic--not ...I think that this is such an important topic--not only in terms of the telenovela industry, but in entertainment in general. It's true, as viewers we want to use television and other entertainment as an escape, and to get what reality can't give us. But at the same time, we criticize the lack of our realities in television and movies. I think it really comes down to the business aspect of it--reality doesn't sell, unless it's dramatized. I do think, though, that we're on the right path as other issues become more important to us as viewers. Societal changes and the increasing awareness for certain issues have already opened our minds to portraying reality in television and entertainment--maybe that will keep moving us to someday see our own true reality in our entertainment.Sophiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15634820571058591102noreply@blogger.com