by Irina D.

Created on: March 26, 2009

New jobs are exciting, but as with anything new, there are undeniable disadvantages.

I make my way to a nearby Starbucks with my new lunch companion the latest issue of Entertainment Weekly. I arm myself with a Tazo green tea and take a seat at a table next to two bright-eyed, chatty 20-something year olds. I immediately notice their admirable postures and superb smiles. As I sat down, flipping through my magazine, I couldn't help overhearing a fragment of their conversation.

"I can't believe he went out with HER. She was hideous, I mean, she practically had no lips!"

They both burst laughing in unison. The other one abruptly stops,

"Oh stop. Maybe she had a good soul. Or something. I always heard she was a nice girl."

I decided then it was time to look for a different Starbucks.

Or actually make friends at work.

Growing up, we are raised to aspire to be better. The utmost of life's grand value are learned early on: as women, we are taught kindness, patience and understanding, and most of all, we are taught to be minimally judgmental towards the others around us.

Although they remain instilled at the core of our being, these teachings seem to take the backseat for, many a time, we find ourselves acting viciously, impatiently and heartlessly towards one another. We subconsciously let ourselves detach from them because of our innate insecurities and fears of others' perceptions and views. Unquestionably, our human limitations make us increasingly insensitive and highly judgmental.

Taking a look at such shortcomings is it entirely society's fault? We have been and continuously are bombarded with media images of standardized beauties long hair, round eyes, curvy hips and even curvier hips, to name only a few of the perky attributes. There is very little grace found in the very natural process of aging, for everyone desperately aims to "look" and "feel" young. It's a concept of power I am referring to the power of beauty.

I won't deny that physical appearance plays a radical factor in our lives we are expected to look presentable in order to be respected and taken seriously on our path to full potential reach and endeavors accomplishment. It is also equally important to preserve our health and maintain an overall healthy lifestyle. But exactly just how much emphasis does physical beauty deserve? How far have women gone in order to achieve and further perfect the unbeatable standard of beauty?

Too far.

And I feel that we all are a little too familiar with how far beauty has

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