Jacaranda "Queens"

Nearing the end of November (where has it gone!) prompted me to remember all of the things that have happened this past month. One which I forgot to mention was the Grafton Jacaranda Festival. A festival only held in Australia as far as I know and only one town. Basically the town is covered and the streets are lined with the Jacaranda tree. They blossom in November, sending out sprays of beautiful, vibrant purple flowers. The town deck themselves in purple and all are merry. (funny how people do that for a few days at certain times of the year....)

Anyway, one of the main events, that historically goes back a long way is the crowning of the Jacaranda Queen. Now, after actually seeing what goes on, and how they proceed to "judge" the candidates, I was really beginning to think that it was all just wrong. The idea that there is some ultimate girl who is more attractive than the others and it always seems to be the blonds...... I mean that's what it's all about! Now lets be honest girls, we're tired of being judged by our appearance! From the moment we are born we are expected to turn into that "package." What package? The one made up by others, the one we will never be and the image that maybe only one woman has in all the world naturally. We look at all these images that are air-brushed on every single magazine. And even the famous, have the professionals at their fingertips. Anyway, as much as we want to convince ourselves that we enjoy all the attention and would love to be in a competition, deep down we long for real love, REAL love and an end to all pressure and stress on our part! The truth is that every girl is just as beautiful as that one girl whom they crown. It's the soul that matters. The truly beautiful thing about women is how God made us. We should have care, concern and love for others. A compassion above all others and the tender loving care that only a women can give. Men and women are made differently. And we need to find what we were made to be! Hands of love, hands that make, care and nourish. That is half the reason why I am so against immodesty. Because, while I agree that women should have rights, we have gone too far. We have objectified ourselves! When you dress that way, what do you do? You are now purely an object. It wouldn't matter if you were ugly, men would hang off you!! They are only seeking to please their passions. So we're objects. And what happens to an object? Let's take a shiny new toaster. It's stainless steel. There are lots of fancy colours, but you prefer it at the moment to all else. You take it home and place it with pride on your kitchen bench. You use it every day, mind you, there's no "love" for it, real love. A few years go by and it's looking a bit scratched and quite frankly, you're tired of looking at it. You just passed by a new red one in Harvey Norman. And before you know it, the now old toaster is at the dump. Let's face it, we are objects these days. And we have to think carefully about whether that's what we're after in this life. If that's your cup of tea, then go right ahead, but personally I think we need to take steps within our own lives to reverse this damage and get our rights back as women. We aren't households objects of pleasure, we are humans, and there's a big difference if you ask me.

I know this was long, but I get a little carried away, hope you don't mind. Any comments would be much appreciated. We might just spark up a conversation.

Check out this website......it will shock you as it did me. http://iwanexstudio.com/ just click on portfolio.

Laura xx