17. Discuss some issue of personal, local, national or international concern and its importance to you.

As a woman, I find it extremely hard to arrive upon what the definition of “beauty” is. In modern society (especially in magazines and television) the ideal woman has colored eyes, fair skin and no fat on her body whatsoever. However, when one looks at society, it is extremely hard to find a woman who fits the same criteria that is set by fashion gurus like those on America’s Next Top Model (ANTM). ANTM is a show that sets standards on how a woman or a model should look like. The judges have even stated that a woman, whom is considerably skinny, is too chubby to be a model or they characterize her as a “plus size” model. Once they find the women that do fit their height and weight standards, they then change the contestants’ complexion even more for the blonde hair on the natural blonde just does not look good on her, so, they dye it brown or red. Such critiques tend to confuse the audience for the women that are obviously naturally beautiful are just not beautiful enough. This then leads them to the conclusion that their natural hair color and weight are not acceptable and that they must make changes to them. In addition, a sort of shift on their original thoughts is made for, for years they have been drawn to thinking that their curves and their complexion in general is beautiful  due to the compliments that their friends and family members have told them. Personally, I tend to dwell on such standards for my cultural background says that “Meat on a woman’s body is far more pleasing than a bag of bones,” “Curves are sexy, embrace them.” In contrast, the society that I live in frowns upon such statements. This is probably one of the biggest concerns that I have for I am positive that I am not the only woman that is confused on this subject and has thought of resorting to eating disorders or mental distortions or even both.