True beauty….

Do you ever think about how distorted your own perceptions are?  We live in an image-driven culture.  We often might not realize the subtlety of the assault, especially on women.

But there are alternatives to the mass-produced, glossy imagery that pass for ‘beauty.’  One alternative can be seen in the Dove Campaign and their efforts.  But, there are many more.

This week there is a one-evening film event called ‘A Powerful Noise.’ The film is a documentary about three women who are making a significant impact in their vastly different worlds.  Mostly, the point of this film is to raise the awareness about women and poverty.  In answer to the question, “Why women’s empowerment?” the website says this:

If the lives of poor women are to improve, individuals must gain power to change and effect change; structures that dictate social, economic and political power-holding must be altered; and human relationships must be created or modified to support change. This view of women’s empowerment serves as both a guide to designing work and as a tool to help measure the impact of work meant to promote the well-being of women. And it is useful in virtually all types of development programs that help communities improve the quality of and access to water, health services, education and microfinance services (to name a few), and those programs in which communities are guided to confront specific social injustices such as violence against women.

Think about what constitutes true beauty.  In what ways are you striving to make a “powerful noise”?  Perhaps begin with your own perceptions.