summer2005 v1.2

In this issue...

One need simply look to the media to know what that culture deems as beautiful.

Being an anthropology major, I have definitely come across various views of beauty. While women in Japan are valued for their petite features, women in Ghana are thought beautiful for their large builds. Being a Turkish-American has also given me personal experience with encountering different beauty ideals.

Looking through American beauty magazines and seeing famous celebrities on television illustrates how American beauty is defined by tall, slender and tan blondes. Since I do not fit these characteristics, I have found that I do not stand out in the United States as an attractive girl, but it is interesting how this drastically changes when I travel to Turkey. I notice I receive more attention in Turkey because I am a closer fit to the beauty mold with my light skin, almond-shaped eyes and dark hair.

So, what is beautiful in one society may be regarded with indifference or even considered ugly in another. Beauty, along with every other aspect of a culture, differs from people to people.