Body Typed Short Films on Perfection

Last week I went with a friend to see three short films on body perfection by Jesse Epstein. Paradigm Shift, New York City’s Feminist Community, had organized the event. I am very ashamed to say that I had never heard of them until just recently but I am glad that I know about them now! The films were very interesting but my favorite was the first one they showed which was called, “Wet Dreams and False Images.”

The summary of the short film: “When Dee-Dee the barber learns about the art of photo-retouching, he may never look at his “wall of beauty” the same way again.”

To be honest, at first I was very apprehensive about the group of people she decided to focus on in this film. I felt in a way that her choice emphasized stereotypes. Here is a group of Latino barbers in Brooklyn who are stereotypically ghetto. When the film was over, I asked her why she chose to focus on the Latino community to educate about photo retouching? She said that she wanted to speak to people of another culture because Caucasians primarily idolize skinny bodies while Latinos prefer thicker, curvier bodies. What she said makes sense and my friend helped me understand why I shouldn’t be offended but still I am a bit curious. If she had to choose the Latino community, why couldn’t she interview Latinos in college or with careers?  Wouldn’t they share the same sentiments – that they like women with big butts? Perhaps it is better to interview men like them who seem to be uneducated and who could use a lesson or two about the unrealistic women they admire so much. Men like them seem to be filled with misogynistic thoughts. I also believe it is important to educate people from the bottom up (not to say these men are at the bottom). Perhaps these men are more malleable?

This feeling reminded me of when I was at Smith and it seemed that anything that was said could be and was considered offensive. The phrase going around campus was “I’m offended that you’re offended.” Were the students at Smith too thin skinned to handle people’s opinions or were we that educated that we questioned everything? I believe it was a mixture of both – not to sound extreme in either direction.

But I digress. I did think the film was very funny. There was comic relief for a film that discusses important issues. Their reaction to photo touching was expected: mouths open, speechless, couldn’t believe it. When discussing their ideal woman, one of the barbers said, “You can’t look scrawny or sick.” This statement reminds me of how in the Latino community, food is very important. Growing up or even now, you have to eat everything on your plate otherwise it is considered rude. Even the word gorda (fat) is considered a term of endearment. It wasn’t for me however, when they called me that.

Putting that aside…Six years after making the film, Jesse went back to the same barber shop and their wall of pictures are gone. When approached with picture of women in magazines, Dee Dee replies, “Oh you see right here. That’s airbrushed.” He even admires his girlfriend’s real butt: cellulite, stretch marks, and all.

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