Published: May 21, 2009 02:29 pm      

Lee Ward: Get priorities straight: Looks aren't important — 05/24/09

Everybody needs to quit worrying about how they look.

Even more, they need to quit worrying about how everyone else looks.

Last week, the model Iman commented on First Lady Michelle Obama’s looks, saying she was “not a great beauty.”

First, who cares what Iman thinks? What makes her an expert on beauty? She made a living from being a model, but take a look at models. Are they really beautiful, or are they just tall, lanky, expressionless, living clothes hangers? I choose the latter.

Second, I agree Michelle Obama isn’t a naturally beautiful woman. She does, however, look healthy and neat and she’s full of confidence and personality. I like to say she does the best she can with what she’s got to work with, and that’s all anybody can do.

Third, she doesn’t have to be beautiful. She did not choose a career field that demands physical beauty. Of course, these days, so many people are so superficial that looks count when they shouldn’t, but honestly, do you want your attorney to be good looking or efficient? I choose efficient.

Most people aren’t beautiful and it’s not an issue, and with Mrs. Obama, beauty isn’t what it’s about. She’s a Harvard-educated attorney who dedicates her life to public service. Iman should not have commented about her looks at all, in a positive or negative way, because it’s not an issue given her life and career choices.

When it comes to looks, women can never escape the judgments of others, no matter how irrelevant their looks are to their lives.

Men are lucky; in most cases, they can get away with looking 10 times worse than a woman in the same position without having to endure unnecessary, critical remarks.

Iman did continue with more flattering comments, adding Mrs. Obama is interesting looking and bright, which she admits is more important than beauty.

Of course it is. Practically any positive quality is more important than beauty. The fact that beauty is so subjective (“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder”) indicates the shaky ground it stands on in the arena of importance.

Look at it this way: Would you rather have a law degree from Harvard or a beauty pageant crown? I’d rather have the law degree. I bet Michelle Obama would, too.

LEE WARD can be reached at lward@dailyindependent.com or (606) 326-2661.