Chasing Beauty

I am in the middle of editing a documentary about the underbelly of the beauty industry.

At first blush, when I think of the underbelly of beauty, I think of people who push others to be beautiful for what reason, blah blah blah, because it's all a construction of something the beauty business wants us to buy into...it's so terrible...blah blah blah. We should be as the lilly in the field, clothed in natural, inner beauty.

There is a conversation to be had beyond this. First of all, we are genetically wired to believe that our generation's idea of beauty = health/wealth.

And here's the right hook: If you are considered beautiful, your salary will increase by 12%. You will have a larger dating pool. People who are tall become CEOs. You will be given opportunities that will not otherwise present themselves. Beauty as always is power and it's a tool that can be used to cut through boundaries of race, class, and religion.

It's truly mind blowing to hear this from so many people who are stunningly beautiful. To hear the incredible opportunities that catapulted them beyond the noise. I appreciate this especially because getting past the glass ceiling in filmmaking is nearly impossible to do. How important is beauty in this world? How important is beauty in my world?

It is what it is and with any institution, it has rules to play by and rules that will get you disqualified. The question becomes what you will sacrifice to belong because there is always an initiation. Why has it taken me so long to realize this- that what is on the outside is far more important the inside (which we cultivate for a lifetime.)

I rest my mind with this sweet thought. At 40, the playing field becomes even. Beauty is always lost.