this photo of my Mom at a fashion show/beauty parade of some sort.I don't know how to account for this.
Maybe it's simply because it's touching to see pictures of your parents when they were so young. Or maybe it's because I harbor the mistaken belief that it was a more innocent time, and that the vintage cult of beauty has nothing whatsoever to do with today's bizarre abomination of what used to be a little bit of lipstick and some powder.
I guess I'm just in denial because of course objectification is objectification, and the old-school pageants surely built the shoddy runway (heh heh) for what happens in our community these days.
Anyways, this topic has always fascinated me and often makes its way into my fiction. In one of my stories, "Beauty Queens," two young girls schlep around their Lola's wake, supremely annoyed that the woman they remember as fierce, brave, and loving is, after her death, being recalled most memorably as a beauty queen.
So I'm counting on Gladys to arrive at the blogger party with her tiara slightly skewed. And her scepter? Her scepter should be used to impale...something. Suggestions?
13 comments:
Oh, Ver, a beauty queen with penis-envy. I love it!
(Oops, was I not supposed to write dirty words on this blog? Hee.)
When you said "impale," I immediately thought of Philippine hot dogs, you know, that really big, bright red, over-salted, and heart attack-inducing manna from the gods that gets grilled on New Year's and skewered on a stick. Hot dog on a scepter! Yum!
Btw, where can I get a pink princess dress with burgundy tulle in my size??? (Dangit, I knew I should have learned how to sew when I was growing up.)
In my irreverence in the last post, I forgot to say:
I love that photo of your mom! There's something nostalgic in these kinds of photos for me, too. My mom was never a beauty queen or in those pageants, but I always love seeing photos of her all dressed up and/or made up. Not sure what that's about. Maybe we were hard-wired as kids to honor these particular images of Filipina feminine beauty? But yes, what is it about the "vintage" aspect that makes us feel differently than how we feel about that "Sweet 16" debut, for instance?
P.S. I'd love to read your "Beauty Queens" story!
Yes, I guess it would be sort of difficult for anyone to look at these kinds of old pictures and then tear into their Mom about how damaging the Filipina Beauty Queen image can be! Sorta complex. And totally worthy of your Fantasy Beauty Queen Panel!
Will send you my story soon...
Whee! Looking forward to it!
As for critiquing mothers, I've gotten comments from women who wouldn't necessarily tear into their mothers or aunts but who do definitely critique them for buying into these Imelda-type notions of beauty. Growing up, I loved the photos of my mom, but in terms of my relationship with her, I do still nag her about buying too many shoes or putting on too much makeup (she doesn't need it, especially that awful reliance on foundation). I used to get incredibly angry with her for constantly criticizing the way I looked because I didn't care about my hair or my face or my clothes when I was in high school. I was a serious athlete back then as well as a bookworm and couldn't care less about looking "put together"; I'd have had to undo myself when I started my physical activities. (My dad on the other hand was totally fine with me looking like a tomboy all throughout high school! He started looking at me funny when I decided I wanted to wear makeup during college.) Crazy stuff, no? I think my fantasy panel should include a serious roundtable discussion. So many people have so much to say about these issues!
Ver -- great pic of your mom. I have some of my mother, too.
And Gladys, it's really an interesting topic; it's great that you brought it up in the first place. It's making me think of stuff that has just been gathering dust in a corner of my brain for a long time -- but I realize now has some relevance.
Actually, Jean, I think you were the one who picked it out of the little summary I did of the Pinay Power event. This whole conversation really was unexpected, but delightfully so. I hadn't realized that so many Pinays were thinking this way about queen contests and beauty in the FilAm community. Like Ver on nostalgia, BJ on her Imelda-like aunt and plastic surgery, and Joanne on skin color and business interests. You, of course, have this fantastic first-hand experience with these contests in (Central) California. I think, if we don't somehow manage to produce this panel, my head will explode. I've been working on it already... I'm hoping we can have not just paper presentations but literary readings.
Ver! I finished your short story and I love it! You didn't talk about that Uncle Mark - ew, creepy! There's so much in just a few pages. I'm esp. intrigued by the idea that Filpina beauty, as projected by the queen contests, is implicated in the horrendous hypersexualization and stereotypes of Filipina availability to white men. (It makes me think of colonialism and the whole sex tourism thing.) Thanks for sending it. You rock!
I'd like to note once more, Gladys, that you are incredibly good-looking!
That was one of my favorite stories to write. It's still looking for a home...
*primping* Why thank ya, Miz Ver! And I've no doubt it will find a home...
Nice picture of Auntie S!
Just jumping right in here. I haven't read your Beauty Queen Story, but have read other things you've written. Route is now accepting submissions for an anthology with the them "Beautiful". Just thought I'd post this here to let you know. It might be worth taking a shot at sending your story to them.
Let me know and I'll send you the url.
Cheers.
Rochita
them should have been theme...dratted typos...
Post a Comment