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Helen Doesn't Have A Summer Tan - Abbie Hedden

With hundreds of lines of text, endless backstory, and countless characters whose names I can't remember, there are infinite options for my blog post. So, in true form, I will talk about literally three words from our text. "White-armed Helen" (Homer 132).

Ever since I can remember, I've hated how pale I am. My twin brother doesn't burn in the Alabama sun, he just turns brown. Meanwhile, I'm lucky if I move past Ivory 2 after a summer of working outside. I've always thought the epitome of beauty is someone tall, slender, and tan. That is the opposite of how Helen is portrayed. In ancient Greece, women were considered beautiful if they were chubby, pale, and short. This is because the rich citizes could afford to stay inside away from the sun and hard work, and eat all day long. I would be considered beautiful in ancient Greece. But if I look on social media, I am plagued with self deprecating thoughts about how everyone else is skinny, blonde, and tan, while I am left asking photoshop groups to "make me pretty before I post this".

Helen, the woman who was so beautiful there was a nine year war dedicated to her recovery, looked something like me. But I'm terrified to post a selfie, especially a full body photo.

While one can make an argument that Helen is not exactly the best role model, it does serve as a good reminder. "The grass withers and the flower falls, but the Word of our God endures forever." (Isaiah 40:8). Centuries ago, the definition of beauty was wildly different than our definition in America today. The one thing that has stayed? The word of God. Even the Trojan War isn't known to be absolute fact, but Scripture has been proven infallible century after century. It is amazing to consider that historical facts aren't known, but the Word of God has proven itself under question for all of time.


Haley Riddle & Jessef

Comments

  1. IsabelleAugust 24, 2020 at 8:29 PM

    Hi Abbie! I agree with how drastic the beauty standards change throughout each era, and you're absolutely right about what the Bible tells us. You are chosen, you are worthy, and you are loved. The same God who paints that beautiful sunrise every morning knew the world would need an Abbie Hedden. So don't let anyone else, or even yourself, tell you otherwise. Your blog post is great reminder! -Isabelle Ferguson

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  2. Logan TurnerAugust 24, 2020 at 8:40 PM

    That's partially why I find "beauty standards" so nonsensical. Everyone has their own preferences, so by definition, there should be no standard for beauty. It's appalling and, in some countries, just dangerous. Take China for example. To the Chinese, having tiny feet is considered beautiful. In order to attain these beauty standards, they would bind the feet of young girls. Sometimes, their feet were even broken, and they were frequently left with permanent disabilities. Honestly, it's pretty horrifying

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