What is beauty?

     Who is the most beautiful woman you can think of? Although "inner beauty" is synonymous with aesthetic beauty to some (mostly ugly) people, I'm not talking about that. Who do you consider to be the sexiest woman alive? Can you pinpoint why you feel that way?

     The concept of physical beauty is infatuating to me. What makes our brain process and judge the physical characteristics of another human? How did the idea of beauty even come into existence? How can it be defined so differently from generation to generation, or even human to human?

THE SCIENTIFIC EXPLANATION 

     Science tells us that symmetry is what the human eye is attracted to. Preference for symmetry is a trait that is common among highly evolved animals. We perceive a symmetric individual as more attractive, because symmetry is equated with a strong immune system. Scientifically speaking, beauty is defined by healthy genes and the likelihood that their offspring will survive. Likewise, males tend to find beauty in a woman with small facial features, defined cheekbones, and large eyes, and a vertically aligned chin and forehead. This "baby face" trait suggests that a woman has more long-term mating potential and reproductive health. 

     Now take a minute to chew on that.

   As odd as all of this may seem, Its easy to make since of. Our initial response to someone is not based on the reasoning we use think we use. Its primal, and at the same time, highly evolved. 

BEAUTY IN HISTORY

     

     Does this woman look familiar to you? Maybe she looks like your Aunt Jenny or a woman you would find smoking a Black & Mild outside of Walmart. Any way you wish to look at it, this woman is not beautiful. Or is she? 

     This is Wilma (yes, like Wilma Flintstone). She was reconstructed from a set of cannibalized 43,000-year-old female Homo Neanderthalis bones. We can not know for sure, but many are wondering if this Neanderthal, with fair skin, freckles and red hair, was the idea of beauty in her day. With that in mind this shot is mesmerizing. I find it creepy. Like, worms in my tummy creepy. To think that her features would have been considered small and dainty compared to other females of her race is mind blowing to me. Although we, as Homo Sapiens are a different species, we come from the same Genus and studies show that we did in fact walk the earth together at one point. Would Wilma have been considered attractive to early Human Beings?

     Women have always taken extreme measures to be fashionable and therefore more attractive, but I can hardly think of a more extreme time period for beauty than Elizabethan England. 

     By todays standards, Queen Elizabeth I of England can hardly be considered a beauty. However, in her day, she set the standard for it. Women in her day would go to great lengths to look like this great monarch. They would use make up made from white led and vinegar to appear paler (considered a sign of dignity). They would use Belladonna (a toxic perennial herb) to dilate their pupils, to give them the appearance of large, dark eyes. And GET THIS; since fair colored hair was considered beautiful women would go to great lengths to bleach theirs, including rinsing it with urine! (That is if they didn't just shave their head and wear a wig.)

TODAY

     While today we criticize for the great lengths women go to for beauty, we must realize that such lengths define our past and undoubtedly our future. Beauty is not a mythical entity, its real and primitive. As the world's cultures mesh into one and races become less distinct, our Ideal beauty changes. These two women are both legendary American beauties, the most revered of their day. The difference is only 50 years. What will be beautiful 50 years from now? Or even next year? We won't know until it happens. 

In the meantime, I still want a nose job. 

-Mariah 

About An Author: Lindsey

Name: Lindsey

Location: Oklahoma (temporarily!)

Education: Currently working on a Bachelors of Arts in Drama and Journalism at the University of Oklahoma

Politics: Moderate...fiscally conservative, socially liberal. So pretty much politically displaced as far as parties go. I kind of consider myself a Washingtonian in the sense that I think our parties negatively polarize issues, at the same time I know that the way we function politically almost requires parties. Either way I'm passionate about politics

Religion: Catholic..but I'm a conundrum. I'm what old school Catholics would call a "cafeteria Catholic", I pick and choose what I believe because I believe fundamentally religion is man-made and therefore flawed. My relationship with God is not dictated by man's standards, it's between me and my God. But if I identify with a religion then it is most definitely Catholic because I appreciate the ritual and tradition. I know, confusing...especially given my political standards. I also hate religious pretension and the puritanical "sinners at the hands of an angry God" mindset that plagues many religions.

Sexual Fluidity: Heterosexual

Ancestral Background: predominantly Italian and Polish on my father's side. My grandmother's family hails from Palermo in Sicily (and since the Godfather is my favorite movie, I'm quite thrilled!). My mom's side is a blurry mix of german, Irish, and native American. I'm very proud of my Italian culture and love when my grandmother cooks traditional food that's been handed down through the generations.

Childhood: My mother is a nurse, which is great because growing up I was sick a lot, and my father is a 'Rocket Man', that's right a 'Rocket Man'. Dad works for NASA as an engineer for the Space Shuttle Program. The robotic arm on the shuttle...he helped design that. Try and tell me the space program is useless and see what happens. I am the eldest of four with two little sisters and a brother. My youngest sister is pretty much one of my best friends. I am very family-oriented and am close with both my immediate and extended families.

Favorite Musical Artist(s): THE KILLERS, Kill Hannah, Dire Straits, Ben Folds, Blue October

Favorite Movie(s): THE GODFATHER, El Orfanto, The King's Speech, Beauty and the Beast


Favorite TV Show(s): Bones, Law & Order: SVU, CSI, LOST

Someone You Look Up To: My father. He is incredibly versatile and a main reason for why I am who I am. He has the patience of a saint and I hope one day I can achieve that patience.

Any Other Information?: Dichotomy is a great word to describe me. I'm equally left and right brained. Fiercely logical, I am equally passionate and therefore have a variety of ideas an interests.

About an Author: Jessye

Name: Jessye Mabel

Location: Albuquerque, New Mexico. On a couch.

Education: Is tedious. I'm somewhere on my way to a Public Relations degree. Or something like that.

Politics: Liberatarian/liberal.

Religion: Karma will catch you on the flip side. I was raised Southern Baptist; that was a real hoot.

Sexual Identity: Foxy. Oh, straight. Mostly.

Ancestral Background: Scottish, part Cherokee. I am a descendant of Sam Houston's lineage. That's not always a good thing.

Childhood: I grew up on a farm in rural Oklahoma, where I wreaked havoc on my parents and learned how to do the boot scootin' boogie.

Favorite Music: Ryan Adams, A.A. Bondy, Dr. Dog, Broken Social Scene, Bob Dylan, Billie Holiday, Wilco, Glenn Miller, Hank Williams, Regina Spektor, Old Crow Medicine Show

Favorite TV Show: The Office, Mad Men

Someone you look up to: Most people, I'm only 5'3''.

Any other information: I'm a poet from Oklahoma City, relocated to Albuquerque partly by accident. I think Sam Elliot should run for presidential office in 2012, have a strong phobia of puppets, and am very fond of bright red lipstick.

About An Author: Amalia

Name: Amalia

Location: New York

Education: Freshman in a BFA Acting program at a private university

Politics: Politically Inconsistent. I chose what fits best for me when the moment arises, if that means I switch from side to side, so be it.

Religion: Russian Orthodox Christian, my religion means a lot to ME, i do not concern myself with other people's opinion of religion. That is their choice.

Sexual Identity: Heterosexual

Ancestral Background: 2nd generation Italian and Ukrainian on my mother's side. German and Norwegian on my fathers side. However, I identify with my mother's side more.

Childhood: I grew up in the Russian Orthodox church so that meant being around a lot of Russian immigrants. My grandfather is also very Italian so that meant a very family orientated atmosphere. My parents divorced when I was around 11 years old. I lived with my mother and had very limited contact with my father and his side of the family. I am very close to my immediate family, they mean more than everything to me.

Favorite Musical Artist(s): Chopin and Gogol Bordello

Favorite TV Show(s): Bones and Sex in the City

Someone You Look Up Too: My mother.

Any Other Information?: I am in a sorority at the university I attend and I support Greek Life full force. I was a cheerleader in high school. Because of this people find me to be hard to categorize because I also give off a very masculine energy. My nickname in some circles is "Anomaly" But, underneath it all I am a young woman and a person and I couldn't care what you say about how I live my life. I have my family and friends there for me, as everyone should.

About An Author: Mariah

Name: Mariah


Location: Oklahoma


Education: Senior in online high school.
I attended traditional public school for 11 years, but got tired of it and went an unconventional route.


Politics: Moderate.
I think both major parties are out of control. Their decisions are not based on logic, they are based on tradition and the thrill of winning.


Religion: Atheist.
I was raised to love god in a Methodist home. When I reached an age of reason, I began to doubt it. After a few years of dabbling in witchcraft and conducting historical research I found that I do in fact, find all organized religions to be a hoax.

Sexual Fluidity (Klein Grid): 2 (Heterosexual Mostly)

Ancestral Background: English.
Im a daughter of the revolution. My paternal line has been in America since the early 1700s.
My maternal line is 6% german and the rest english.


Childhood: I was born unto a Dancer and a Radio DJ. They have been married for 26 years (and now make a living in very different ways.) I have one not-so-little sister and a best friend named Buddy. He is a golden retriever.

Favorite Musical Artist(s): Lady Gaga, Nicky Minaj, Ingrid Michelson, Beruit, Mozart, Neutral Milk Hotel

Favorite Movie(s): Revolutionary Road

Favorite TV Show(s): Bones, Buffy the Vampire Slayer & Angel, Psych, The Tudors

Someone You Look Up To: Dr. Temperance Brennan. Even though she is fictional.

Any Other Information?: I'm blunt. Very blunt.