@@AdmanlovesAdman It is an idea that is repeated often, in this case the "trope" is that an ugly person is sad and lonely until the become beautiful then they are happy. Hope that helps!
I have an practically blind “lazy eye” (20/100 😳) and there’s a HUGE difference in the thickness in my glass lenses. This means that ones clear and the other one magnifies my eye a shit load and makes me look hella goofy. I’ve considered monocles wondering if it would make it look MORE conventional. Even though I look ridiculous I would still never consider taking my glasses off while my eyes are open, I get a one eye migraine instantly. It’s MEDICAL
I'm an extremely feminine girl myself, and the thing about femininity is that it's only fun when it's a choice and not a thing that's expected of you by everyone else.
Honestly I think people need to stop scrutinizing women too much and just let them be. It’s either you’re too feminine or too masculine and there’s no right way to just be yourself.
Exactly!! When its expected it becomes a chore and it gets tiring because if you're not what everyone expects you to be they kind of shun you and then you have to worry about avoiding this problem and always have to be self conscious of how you look like :/
I think that goes for a lot of traits/ideals that is highly valued socially speaking. The more these traits/ideals are praised and valued, the more people will feel pressured to conform to those ideals. I think femininity is a good example of such an ideal (as is masculinity btw), and girls are expected to naturally act appropriately. Because of that I've never wanted to fall in love with a girl because she was very feminine, like it's something you can't expect someone to adhere to because it's your "fantasy" so to speak, for girls to act that way. It just seemed selfish and superficial to me. Like you don't really like the person, you just like the cute looks and how she acts. I wanted to fall in love for less superficial reasons. I ended up falling in love though with, in hindsight, a very feminine girl. At the time I thought I liked her because she was kind and genuine, didn't seem to be affected by things other people said or thought, and she didn't seem to judge people. And she was funny too. In my mind those were good reasons for being in love with her. What I did not want to focus on was, how cute her smile was or how soft her voice was, her eyes, her hair, her laugh. And I'd be a liar if I told you those things didn't matter. Many years later I just accept that that is how attraction works, of course it's not everything but it was rather foolish to try to deny it altogether. Now I think a big part of why I didn't feel comfortable appreciating those superficial things was for two reasons; they were just exterior/looks and you should fall for the person, not for her looks (1), and there was pressure to have those things, if you expect them in your partner you put pressure on her to be a certain way (and you shouldn't obviously) (2). I didn't necessarily think she felt pressured to act in a feminine way necessarily but regardless I felt I shouldn't add pressure, so I shouldn't be crazy about those things, not even in my mind. What I didn't really consider was that she probably liked being that way as well so it wasn't something I should have felt guilty about liking about her. Anyway, I figured she must have felt the same way as you and it reminded me of her. (Bit of a self-indulgent rant tbh but it feels good writing about it, like therapy of some sorts)
I have to agree. Not an adult yet. Still a teenager. As a kid I really felt for having natural wavy and frizzy hair that looks like a mane. As well wear glasses. I got over it but my mother still forcing the trope at me. Like bro, how about I learn to take care of my natural hair and glasses that do suit me instead of having to waste hours and money to straight hair and transion everything else.
hollywood picking girls that are already conventionally beautiful and giving them stereotypically ugly traits that aren't even ugly (curly hair, glasses) to make them a bit less pretty
it's sooo weird, whenever i take off my glasses, "kiss me" by sixpence none the richer starts playing and everything is in slow motion ???? does anyone else have this??
@@yutassmilehealsme6572 Assuming that you aren't short sighted (like yours truly), and can actually *see* the stairs, instead of them just being a blurry slope.
I only really wear my glasses to drive (I'm short sighted) and whenever I take them off and get out of the car my shoes magically turn into heels for a sexy leg close up as I step out of the car and my hair falls out of my hair tie so I have to do a hair flip to keep it out of my face. In slow motion of course.
And can the tomboy not be a total pick-me because every movie that has a tomboy in it they always have to make her incredibly edgy or rude to other girls for no reason
I really like how in Legally Blonde Elle also has a makeover of her clothing style, but reverts back to her original style in the end because she's being true to herself, not because looking girly is better than looking preppy.
Agree, as well as the transformation in The Devil Wears Prada. Andy changes her style to something much more high fashion yes in part to pressure, but also to be more in tune with her job and gain a better understanding of her peers who are constantly expressing that Andy’s disinterest in such a major job is insulting. In the end, when Andy quits she gives all of her new fancy clothes to Emily, and reverts back to a more polished version of her original style, indicating that while she’s definitely affected by her time at Runway she still hasn’t lost sight of herself. Her final looks show her growth as a person and actually makes sense
YES! And you know the transformation montage she talked about in the video? I love how the montage in Legally Blonde was of her like studying and working hard because she wanted to get into Harvard. Granted, her motive for getting in was again for basically some form of male validation BUT I'm gonna forgive that 'cause it all worked out in the end for the better.
Not gonna lie Emmet getting that transformation actually made me feel better as a guy, cause that made me feel like I could like dressing up and feeling pretty and it felt amazing. See the stereotype for women is to be pretty but men aren't "allowed to" so seeing a guy get to feel pretty was amazing for me. I felt like I could be me and I'll never forget legally blonde
If you are a man and you want a beautiful girl as a girlfriend, you are right. If you are a girl and wants a handsome man as a boyfriend, you are superficial and you don't care about his feelings. That pisses me off
a guy in my class once joked about my small boobs in front of the whole boys gang without even realising it and later when i asked him why he did that he straightly told me he didn't say anything wrong . I-😶😶😶
Facts. You’ll never see a movie where Beauty is a man while The Beast is a woman. Women are supposed to look past a man’s appearance to love him for who he is, yet that same courtesy is never extended to women. Men can be as shallow as they want.
Exactly 💯, as a brown Indian girl with wavy hair it really fucked up my way of looking at my hair like past me did nit need to beg my mom to buy me a hair straightener at age 14
@@alejandromolinac yes but the entire point of this video is that the media WILL have an impact on your life outside of television. Whether you like it or not.
@@SieMiezekatze hairs with kinks in them are more difficult to style than “normal” smooth curly hairs. I have a mix of both. Kinky hair will look frizzy when curly or straight.
@Isabella’s Art not only that but since the girl is already conventionally pretty it's like, that still isn't good enough?? Which can make normal young women feel very poor about themselves. Extremely damaging.
@@alexandria8116 That's exactly why it's done. I mean how else are they going to convince women and girls to buy thousands of dollars worth of beauty products every year. If you already feel good about yourself, you might think twice about buying that $200 eye cream from Sephora.
they jus get a conventionally pretty girl and throw some glasses on her like having shitty eyesight takes away from the fact she's already the exact beauty standard.
I think its because of if you read a lot or do research on a particular topic on a daily basis, even during the night, you'll eventually strain your eyes which leads to wearing glasses. I dont support glasses being made fun of as "nerdy", I'm just trying to understand the point of view of the stereotype.
Exactly!!! Like, nowadays, most people wear glasses becuz they looked at a screen too much (Me). It's only a few that get glasses becuz of some eye condition and it mostly happens to Kids (I also had an eye condition so I wore glasses as a kid. My eye used to be cross eyed when I stared at some for too long or something. Still happens but quite less in comparison. Now I wear glasses cuz I looked at a screen too much) and the stereotype of ppl who wear glasses, it's cuz they're "nerds" and read books 24/7 or whatever. Like, u CAN be a "nerd" but wear glasses cuz of looking at the screen too much. Being smart is not a personality trait ppl🤦♀️ Btw, which era of Nayeon is on Ur pfp? I'm tryna figure it out. Is it M&M era?
yes, and even though the message is wrong, tons of women do this for the validation of a man in real life. It is natural to want to appeal to the opposite sex, and mostly the man you are interested in. Yes, the message should be do it for yourself, but if we are talking like for real, it is not always the case in real life.
@@NiaCornelia Sadly it is. I have tons of young patients that are dealing with depression. On the outside they pretend they do everything for themselves, but after a few months in therapy, we start to discover that they want to be accepted by the cool crowd, by the popular guy. Sadly, a lot of the movies from the 90s were teenagers did tons of stupid things for the cool crowd, still happens today.
What I really liked about Andy's character arc in The Devil Wears Prada was that at the start, her clothes looked descent but it was ill-fitted for her. In Runway, she became open to different styles and she was able to dress herself that enhances her innate beauty. She had designer everything there. When she walked out of Runway, she did not revert to her "old" self, but she was still able to look fashionable with everyday clothes (not designer ones). She found something in her time in Runway and was able to hold on to that, all the while still being able kee her "true" self intact. She changed, yes, but she changed for the better. For her betterment
I don't hate Andy's character arc, but I'm not 100% convinced by your final argument. Like, I appreciate being able to dress well in clothes that fit you is a valid skill and good on people who want to learn it. If I was forced by society to learn how to draw better, that would be a "change for the better" as well, but at the same time, what if I don't particularly want to learn how to draw? What if I'd rather spend my time and energy doing something else? Any skill you learn is kind of "for your betterment", but at the same time, the only clothes-related skill I feel everyone should have to learn is how to dress right to certain very specific situations (these may be different for everyone). Being able to dress well in your personal life is a skill that, if you want to learn it, great, but why should I be required to learn it just because other people are interested in it, you know? There are tons of skills I'll never learn. Like, imagine how weird it would be for a film to basically end with "phew, we finally managed to convince her of the importance of learning how to draw well" Like... a bit creepy, right?
@@Casutama I think the big difference is that in Devil Wears Prada, the reason for her dressing better isn't for society or for a man, it was from her determination to succeed at her job (that she willingly took) in the fashion industry. I don't think it was "forced" at all in this movie, I felt it was implied that she began to take interest and enjoy it. She was someone who previously made fun of the fashion industry and models but through working the job, took something positive from the experience, learned new things, and made friends with the people she didn't understand before.
I really love that they didn't demonise the glamour and exessiveness of girly femininity. So many movies pick a side and usually choose to imply that traditional femininity is weak and stupid. Devil wears Prada refuses to fall for that trap
I think the point of the original Ugly Duckling story is that you might not be surrounded by the right people. The ugly duckling wasn't just ugly, he completely didn't fit in with the other ducks, bc he was a whole ass different species! Once he figured that out and found other swans who understood him, he felt like he belonged! (so: you don't have to change yourself, but change the people who can't accept you for who you are)
note that "masculine" in many cases means being your natural self. for example, not shaving, not wearing makeup, having a practical haircut, wearing practical clothes, etc. it makes no sense for this to be considered "masculine."
For a man to be feminine, it's about being himself, a homeless bum in his parents basement playing video games, not shaving and complaining women don't want him because he's too fat and is scared of the gym. Do you want such a man? Effort to be attractive to men = you can get a man who puts equal effort to be attractive to women
My mom has been trying to get me to straighten my hair and dress less alt for ages to make me more attractive to guys. Now I have a bf who loves my hair and how I dress. (And even if I didn't, I look cool af. Not changing any time soon.)
It’s sad that what tennage movies portrait as “ugly” is glasses, braces, acne, and an not “well developed body” wich are things that most of the tennage girls have so it makes us feel insecure ;;
What’s even more funny is that I’ve heard real life stories of girly women not being respected in the workplace etc its like women cant win it doesn’t matter if you embrace the feminine or the masculine side it seems like there’s always something women arent doing and it’s annoying
Yes, I've kind of only recently realised that being girly isn't 'uncool', and a woman who wears loads of pink and glitter, for example, has every right to be a serious - and important - part of the workplace.
I agree it’s hard people will try and bring you down no matter what you do. I was quite a tomboy as and child and then embraced a much more glam feminine look and I will say I was made fun of a lot more by both men and women for being more “feminine” :/
YESSS thank you! the older ive gotten i’ve been shammed for being too girly bc it’s too “shallow”. and if i do anything related to “boyish” things, im a pick-me girl. NOT EVERYTHING A GIRL DOES IS FOR A BOY’S VALIDATION!
The way The Breakfast Club had Allison transform just to be "accepted" had me raging as a kid lol. I thought her character was SO cool without the transformation. It really sucks that this trend taught us how to perceive ourselves as kids--like we "need" a "glow up."
Precisely, even her actress, Ally Sheedy, has stated that she's not a fan of her on screen makeover, and liked the way that Allison initially looked. The message was that Allison was removing her many layers and concealing hairstyle, and allowing the others to see the "Real Her", but maybe they overdid it slightly with the white shirt and the hairband.
One movie moment that has stuck with me for years and really helped my mindset growing up is actually a scene from Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs. In it, the female character of Sam is a typical portrayal of an "attractive" woman with perfectly done hair that is never put up, makeup, and contacts instead of glasses. It is revealed that she was actually pressured into presenting herself le that because it was seen as less attractive, and was attached to her nerdy personality which she was bullied for and also seen as unattractive. While she personally prefers glasses and keeping her hair in a ponytail, she feels like she can't because of the shame she feels in her identity and Intelligence. Near the end of the movie, she puts her glasses back on and wears her hair up, and Flint is taken away by the change in her looks. He actually prefers her that way, not only because he's also a nerd and is more drawn to that sort of look, but because he knows that it represents Sam's true personality. It completely flips the trope on its head, which I really appreciate. The film does rely on a lot of "nerd" stereotypes but it also puts them in a good light, and shows that it's not bad to be a nerd. It also shows that being a "nerdy" girl does not make you ugly, since Sam has always been attractive looking and there was already a shared connection with her and Flint prior to the makeover moment. That's literally the only example in all of film and TV where the makeover was "reversed".
Agree! But I don't remember her wearing contacts? There was actually a scene where you see through her eyes and everything looks blurry and distorted (making flint look like the Chad meme) in the second movie I think she gets contacts, but keeps the ponytail (could be it's the other way around tho Idk)
AAAHHH!! I’m just remembering that Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs scene where Sam is “prettier” because her hair gets tied back and she put her glasses back on!!! But I guess animated films might not count for much.
“How many times do we have characters going from contact lenses to glasses?” This is gonna sound REALLY stupid at first, but legit the only movie I’ve ever seen where the female character ended up doing a “reverse glow up” was in Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. She basically forced herself to look good in order to get a job as a reporter, but at the end she realized she wasn’t happy and changed her appearance to her comfort level. And it’s honestly kinda depressing that that’s the only movie I’ve ever really seen that in (maybe Shrek but that’s a whole other analysis). I’m fortunate enough to never have had negativity surrounding my appearance (especially since I am someone who’s kinda messing, mostly wears sweats, and wears glasses) but I know sooo many girls that do and stuff like this really normalizes this. Hopefully we can start to move away from this sooner rather than later.
OMG EXACTLY as a child and still tbh in these movies the main girl wears glasses and in the make over they remove the glasses. As in "glasses are ugly". 😔it hurts a lot like there is never a main character with glasses that is pretty and not a "nerd" 😒 like thats bs just because you wear glasses your a nerd
Yes, I don't mind wearing my own glasses, but a lot of shows and movies enforce that being a nerd is "uncool" or "freaky." Luckily, it's becoming more cool to be smart! 🤓💖📚
agreed. as someone who grew up being bullied because of my glasses I was kinda pissed when the hipster style became popular and the same girls who laughed at me started wearing big lenseless frames. Plus the only other time I've seen the 'glow down' was that one episode of Criminal Minds where Garcia tried to replace JJ and changed from her colourful outfits to a grey suit and put on contact lenses and then when she couldn't cope with her work-load Morgan was like ' You need to go original Garcia' and threw out her lenses and gave her her glasses back.
Ikr, like I wear contacts but sometimes I just want my big frames with photo chromic lenses without dealing with the nerd part of it. Not that that’s really a problem anymore, especially bc now that it’s coming into style 🙄
'Yo soy Betty la fea' the OG colombian version of Ugly Betty did that! And her glow up was gradual and was made to feel that it was for herself, if you want to check it out I highly recommend it! (Has a lot of sexism and things that haven't aged well but it is still very funny and enjoyable.)
I remember watching one of those reality makeover shows years back. There was this BEAUTIFUL redhead firefighter, who didn't wear any makeup, but was super strong and fit enough to work with her male counterparts. The guys she worked with called the makeover show to get her on, because apparently she wasn't feminine enough, even though she was risking her life on the daily to save others. The first time I saw her, I thought she was SO beautiful just the way she was, and was actually jealous of how fit and perfect she was without any makeup or anything. I always felt like I had to wear makeup and dress up to look nice (and still do), so when I saw her, I had the desire to be like that. But then she had her "makeover" and they completely changed everything about her. They died her beautiful red hair blonde, put her in makeup and gave her a new wardrobe, and honestly, it did not suit her at all. All the guys thought she looked so hot, but she was already beautiful the way she was, and she didn't have to change a thing. The only good thing I can say about that episode is it gave me a new perspective of beauty.
Why are those guys forcing her to get a makeover who gave them the audacity, they made her blonde, redhead is beautiful I don’t get why it’s seen as ugly, who cares if guys think she’s hot, you said she’s naturally beautiful as is
Also did anyone else notice how the younger generations nowadays don’t even go through this „ugly duckling“ phase? I feel like they have a big pressure to glow up pretty young because of social media
bruh im 14 and literally going through an ugly duckling faze im not ugly just in the middle of growing out a bob, wearing braces and glasses and experimenting with fashion. just makes me a bit depressed when there are girls my age out there looking 20 but at the end of the day (really not trying to come across as arrogant i've actually been bullied my entire life for being nerdy) i have the typical model face and high cheekbones and im tall slim etc so i am holding out with the bullying just so it will be satisfying when i glow up and they will not even recognise me 😂😂 ok thanks for coming to my ted talk update: lol things do get better!! i have finally grown out my hair and ive had it cut, ive started wearing contacts and now ive even found my style!! i also get my braces off in november so i think once i get them off i will start applying to some agencies - trust me guys it does get better keep holding on and wish me luck x
Some of them go through that phase. Usually those who are not comfortable with the highly sexualized clothes. Thirteen-year-olds can choose from the latest trends, crop tops, skinny jeans etc and they'll get cat called or worse, or they can wear childish clothes and get bullied or they just become ugly ducklings and get bullied. I know I exaggerated a little bit...
Yup I have a younger friend that looks like that aesthetic girls(?) She looks cute but kinda makes it her whole personality and value (being pretty/well dressed up) and I feel sad for her..
I hate when people say that children received a “glow up” throughout puberty, like uh no, they just GREW UP. Kids dress bad, but they’re frickin adorable. Please stop.
(Idrk why I suddenly remember this after reading the comments, also sorry for rambling) I remember during Secondary/High school: Donald Trump was made fun of for being 'orange', right? And how contouring suddenly had a boom on make-up videos (because apparently ppl didn't understand how shadows and lights work - idk, the boom was a little too big wasn't it??) So I remember randomly just listening to ppl talk, and then ppl talking about ppl wearing fake tans and stuff - I thought "ppl aren't stupid enough to do that".........whenever I thought sth along the lines of that, I'd see girls caked in make-up (that, to me, wasn't even good) w/ rly dark/exaggerated contour lines, and sometimes, their skin literally looks orange......like...I don't know how fake tans worked, but couldn't you make it a lighter layer?? {In terms of fashion, I mean we wore uniforms so I can't tell unless I randomly saw them in the street; oh, I remember my friend just seemed to randomly say "her skirt is so short, I literally saw her butt; she's doing it (bending over the table or sth) on purpose";; in terms of 'age appropriate' there's also the occasional ppl who fall on the opposite end of the spectrum and seem to dress more childish than their age.....this reminds me that a girl randomly had a dummy/pacifier for like a few months or sth - like it wasn't candy, but an actual baby's dummy/pacifier (it also seemed to randomly stopped so I couldn't tell if it's because of some kind of OCD or they just randomly decided that they wanted to suck on a dummy/pacifier)} It especially builds on the 'white' stereotypes, because the ppl of other ethnicities don't seem to take it that far [unfortunately some ppl take it too far in terms of other things that also build upon stereotypes tho] - as a person who doesn't rly like make-up and fashion, it's weird how easy it is to tell between ppl who are pros, ppl who are good at it, ppl who just seem to want to use/wear it, and those who just seem to blindly follow the trends - like they're rly pretty ppl [my views on appearances seem to range between 'that's not pretty?/that's ugly?/that's a common face?' to 'that's just following "toxic" beauty standards' - but I honestly think that they had rly beautiful faces] - I just don't understand why they chose to do those things + personality-wise they were the 'extroverted' 'popular' ppl [not everyone knew who everyone was, but I feel like everyone was pretty standardly 'popular' since everyone seemed to know everyone, so maybe they weren't *popular* , but had popular vibes?? Idk what I'm talking about at this point....]
@@wqfflesyrup8740 well, I did say I was rambling, so basically I was just spouting a bunch of stuff for the sake of putting words down somewhere [Tbh I find it kinda strange that some ppl actually decided to read all that 'cuz I usually don't read it again after the first couple times to spell-check etc.] I guess overall, I just wanted to say I found it strange how obsessed some ppl can be w/ following trends?? (and how weird I thought it was, especially since it's usually the younger ppl, and ppl don't seem to....learn from other's mistakes and others don't kindly teach them when that happens either, I guess???)
A related trope that also bothers me is the "beauty and the beast" relationship. A conventionally unattractive person with a lovely personality gets into a relationship with a beautiful person who sees past their exterior and loves them for who they are. Great huh? Except the "beauty" is always a woman and the "beast" is always a man, indicating that beauty is still a woman's most important trait whereas men can get away with being physically unattractive because they have other desirable qualities. How often do you see movies where a conventionally unattractive woman gets with a beautiful man, without going through any beauty transformation, simply because the man loves her personality and doesn't care about her looks? Exactly.
@@rokia7334 Noo, how about 'Kimi ni Todoke' or 'Say I Love You'? These are anime where the guy is the 'beautiful' one, whereas the girl is unpopular and deemed undesirable. The men in these anime love them for their personalities and both of these men have amazing personalities.
@@rokia7334 Hahaa, yea, I thought of those of the top of my head since they're fairly popular. I guess you're right, since they're so popular for a reason. And also I think that the romanticisation of sexual assault is mostly in manga.
I think True Beauty is kinda aligned with this rn. The main lead(s) know how the main heroine looks like, even without the make up. But even with that, they still love her for who she is, so that webcomic/kdrama is a breath of fresh air for me. ❤️ And I think even the main heroine is in the process of learning how to love herself for who she is (I haven't read past chapter 120+ so idk what's gonna happen next)! It's quite good, imo so do check it out if you want to. ✨
THANK YOU for talking about how much masculine women are pressured into being feminine, I'm so so tired of people complaining about how we don't have media examples of 'women who are strong and feminine' when that's like every movie with a female lead, and I can think of like two examples of masculine women who aren't given a makeover or have their masculinity related to some flaw (meanness, comic relief, bitterness, etc). Even when a character is a 'girl next door' type or a warrior they always have perfect hair and makeup and clothes and fight in heels. Like, I get it, I'm unattractive to men so I don't get to exist in a positive light
This. And they'll always throw Legally Blonde at you because "feminine women aren't taken seriously". Yet how many examples do we actually have of GNC or masculine women in lead roles? In the example of Miss Congeniality (?) shown in the video (I know she isn't really masculine either, but I think it proves a point), her male colleagues have no problems disrespecting her before her makeover in ways they would never disrespect another man. They don't actually see her as not a woman because she doesn't conform strictly to femininity, they see her as an unattractive woman to them, and therefore as a laughing stock and of no value to them (because they're sexists who think that's where a woman's worth lies). After her makeover she's not exactly more respected, but because she's now conforming to what they want her to be she's suddenly worthy of slightly better treatment. Femininity isn't respected, but it certainly isn't the basis of disrespect. Being a woman is the basis of disrespect, and femininity is something we're expected to conform to. Be yourself always queen!
It’s a loss loss either way: feminine women may be more “socially acceptable”; but people still do not take them seriously(there are movies about this). However, masculine women are constantly belittled for not being a “real” women and put down emotionally. At this point I just think society hates women.
@@zigzaglychee7324 I never watched the first Miss Congeniality, but I watched the second movie and at the end she reverts back to her old self and I thought that was really cool :)
I don’t think that was *completely* meant as a trope tho. I think it was implying that Allison realized she doesn’t need to be angry all the time and that to be soft and vulnerable to the public eye is okay and not a problem. And they used her appearance to demonstrate that. However I did hate that they showed the guys reaction first. This should’ve been a moment for Allison and only about Allison.
i extremely identify with Allison and I always wanted a boyfriend like the sports guy (andy?) I have been and continue to be an angry and hostile person, and I also feel terrible when I'm excluded and I tend to constantly want to overshare if I feel like everyone else is getting their turn (remember that purse scene? ugh. me.) But... I still dress in black t-shirts and jeans and dark eyeshadow and my big winter coat all the time. Putting me in pink and coral lipstick would make me extremely uncomfortable, not "more open to being vulnerable." My current boyfriend, who is extremely lovely, has been helping me to learn how to be less angry and defensive all the time, and guess what. He thinks I'm extremely sexy in my black t-shirts and my jeans. Looks don't matter, substance does.
I also really hate the trope of traditionally feminine girls looking down on more tomboyish girls and tomboyish girls looking down on more traditionally feminine girls. Like, both are completely valid forms of presentation and self expression! I would love to see a cute movie of two girls who present differently and have wildly different interests but still support each other anyway and don't try to change each other. Also, the patriarchy will not hesitate to tear women down regardless of how they dress - so you might as well dress how you feel like dressing and let other women dress how they'd like to!
Ugh yes. I feel like early 2000s movies are somewhat responsible for the "I'm not like other girls" epidemic. They teach young, often tomboyish Women who feel ostracized that the enemy is traditionally feminine women. I'm so down for a movie like the one you described, it would be so refreshing to see!
I’ve been watching Rizzoli and Isles lately and they’re exactly that. Tomboy Jane the homicide detective and Feminine Dr. isles the rich well dressed and girly chief medical examiner. It’s great. If you haven’t seen it yet it’s on Hulu now
That probably caused the not like other girls epidemic too, making tomboyish girls to feel the need to separate from femininity entirely since what was presented to them about it was bad. This also made the stereotype that feminine girls are b*tches or wh**es which definitely isn’t good either
the cinderella comparison doesnt sit right with me, that transformation was more about the fact that she has a new dress (that was destroyed by her stepsisters) and can because of this go to the ball and not even because she wants to dance with the prince, she just wants to escape this abusive household
Uhh…. Let’s be honest here.. she was already beautiful and drawn with pretty fem features with small dainty feet which is traditionally fem. Her glow up may not be as drastic but still objectified, still has the male gaze scene, validation from the prince, and a rich male savior.
@@VivalaVeevee HERE YALL NEED TO WATCH THIS ua-cam.com/video/huLSdm6IH0g/v-deo.html my point stands, she didnt even know there was a prince lmfao, she just wanted to GO TO THE BALL BRUH
I left my own comment but also Now Voyager is about a woman who's abused and controlled by her mother. Not allowed to grow or be independent. It's not an ugly spinster gets hot narrative.
@@MissTsoisauce Actually, Shrek took the potion because he thought that's what Fiona wanted for herself and for him. At the end of the first movie when the spell breaks she thought she'd be a princess again and went "I thought I'd be beautiful" and Shrek says "You are beautiful". And he takes the potion in the second film because he's rejected by Fiona's family and he finds her diary saying she wanted a princes charming. He does it all for her.
my animator teacher pointed out that she has to be be “ugly” to marry someone whose also “ugly.” He said it would’ve made more sense to still love him if she stayed a human... but either way she has to change based on the man she marries?
@@haleymitchell1371 If she had stayed human it would have gone back to the "the woman always has to be the beauty in the beauty and the beast trope " trouble
It's interesting how the ugly duckling trope also coincides with the "I'm not like other girls trope" of the 90s and early 2000s. Like on one hand, only girlie girls are considered datable and worthy of getting the guy but then on the other, we praise the "tomboy" or the "nerdy" type and often pit her against the girlie girl and SHE ends up getting the guy in the end. Examples I always think of are "10 things I hate about you" and "a cinderella story". It's almost like women can never win. /s lol Also Mean Girls was ahead of it's time. ALL women are amazing and we are not each other's competition.
Now that I think about it, it also coincides with slut-shaming too. The girlie-girls who are generally more promiscuous never end up with the guy. It teaches female viewers that we can't express our sexuality through clothing AND settle down with a guy. It's always the innocent girl who ends up in a relationship (even if the girlie-girl also wants to be in one). Neither the 'tomboy' or the 'girlie-girl' are respected fully by the male characters. The tomboy is smart, but not attractive enough to be respected. And the girlie-girl is attractive, but not innocent enough to be respected. You're so right, we just can't win!
I am not even sure it is slut-shaming. Suppose you are an average girl - no pageant queen, and no classic tomboy either. And you are in High School. You always get the feeling (at least I did) that the pageant queen girls have way more chances with boys than you ever will, *and* that they look down on you for it. And some of them (not all of them) do. So I guess what some of these makeover movies do is let you feel that they, too, will lose once. It is more of a revenge fantasy than anything else.
The worst part of the strong hate for the curly style is they always seem to cast actresses who don't even have natural curls themselves and purposely put them in the rattiest lookin curl style possibly. So real curly hair girls of any curl pattern are rarely ever represented on screen in a positive light. Not as main characters very much, mainly side characters.
Agreed. I have 2c/3a hair (so like wavy/curly, it depends on the part of my head tbh) and I've never seen my kind of hair or anything beyond that represented in these movies. I wish that instead of just straightening the hair in the movie (I did it daily for 3 years straight, it's not sustainable), they taught the protagonist how to take care of their hair. It's more sustainable for the character and sends a better message to the viewers.
As a butch woman, I can say that there's also this weird idea that masculine women must hate themselves or not care about themselves or TAKE care of themselves, or that they must hate other women. and I see this kind of thing touted by pretty progressive women (seen a lot of totally harmless baby butches called Pick Me girls for example, like they must hate other women to be dressing how they are), like this idea that women must embrace and embody conventional femininity to be healthy or happy or progressive is REALLY wide spread and insidious. And I've found many women really unwilling to acknowledge this; start any discussion about the ways in which masc women are treated and the topic is almost always instantly flipped to "well people shit on feminine women too". Like people really, actually embracing and accepting and defending female masculinity (and I don't mean the "Hollywood acceptable still mostly conventionally attractive kind) is REALLY really rare.
Yeah that weord discourse of feminists hating people who do or don't fit gender roles needs to stop, the point isn't don't fit into gender roles it's stop demanding people fit into them.
@@gravy5796 I'm sorry I don't know what this means 😩 I picked this username in like, middle school because I thought it was cute and I just never bothered to change it I don't particularly like iced coffee & I don't know what girl in red is I'm sorry!
Cause I’m society’s eyes women are just meant to be soft and perfect and pretty. Why else do you think men can go around being hairy whilst a woman having hair is deemed as ugly.
@@bro748 There’s a difference between hygienic grooming and shaving and waving yourself to the point where you end up looking prepubescent, don’t be stupid.
You’re right!!! I have curly hair and I’ve never seen a movie where a guy with curly hair straightens it. These movies did kinda mess me up as a girl with curly hair and hairy eyebrows.
Tbh just being a black girl & watching these movies period is lowkey highkey violence because we’re not even included or the things we have naturally are the things they are using as the “ugly” standard
Same I’m white passing tho so I feel like if anyone where to see me with my natural hair down they’d be equally shocked and confused. Doesn’t help that pale is considered ugly either I literally look kinda like Anne Hathaway in the before but with a flatter nose and blue eyes, it sucks man
I’ve always hated this trope because the “before” is still pretty! They all have perfect skin, well cared for hair, and bodies that are considered beautiful. Not only is the “after” often very similar, but we never get any imperfect people in these roles.
It's why Devil Wears Prada makes me so uncomfortable the way they talk about Andi's weight. She is still clearly conventionally thin, but there an endless parade of fat jokes in the first half of the movie. Which I know is supposed to show how shitty the fashion world is in regards to that, but still.
This isn't to say she's ever unattractive, but in the movie strictly ballroom, the female lead "before" doesn't have perfect skin which I remember being so surprised to see. Acne is totally natural and not something that should be judged regardless, but it was still kind of nice just to see it shown in a movie as most "before"s tend to already conform to unrealistic standards
You might appreciate this scene from Not Another Teen Movie where pretty ugly girl Janie Briggs is chosen as a challenge for the jock to turn her into prom queen. "Nooo! She's got glasses and a ponytail." ua-cam.com/video/CXYlv-z_xHQ/v-deo.html
I think what's also left out of these ugly duckling makeovers in movies is that in the actual story, the ugly duckling was actually just a misplaced, possibly average-looking swan and not actually an ugly baby duck. There was no real makeover, the swan just naturally grew up and become more recognizably a different type of bird than its adoptive family. The Ugly Duckling had no actual ugly ducks involved!
It’s interesting that this movie is portraying tomboyish women as “not fully developed” because I felt I’ve noticed the opposite sentiments; where femininity is seen as immature (“girly”), especially unprofessional, and is not to be taken seriously.
I think the tragedy is in the perceived discrepancy between being fully developed for marriage and motherhood and being fully developed for professional roles. For some people, a perfect bride/mother cannot look the same as a perfect professional, and especially not anyone wise and important (think professor, politician, clergyperson, doctor) or not anyone in traditionally-male field (think police officer, pilot, even programmer). If that's the case, they cannot be the same person, right?
I think women who are more masculine are seen as "ah, tomboyish, wild and immature" and women who are seen as more feminine are seen as "oh, pink and sparkles, how childish." So then literally no one takes women seriously.
I don't care, I've been a tomboy all my life and do that as a way to NOT be sexualized. Loose clothing, no makeup, plain hair. I don't care if people think I look "immature". That's ME. Jeans and a ponytail and t-shirts. Some men are gonna sexualize you no matter WHAT you wear, so I might as well be comfy.
Feminity is taken seriously and seen as mature, but only when it is paired to the femme fatale trope. And so is the tomboyish women but only if it pairs with the "strong warrior woman" trope. That's weird.
I watched the movie recently for the first time and the makeover ruined it for me completely. I wear glasses too and I was practically screaming at the screen, like, leave the girl alone and let her find her style (or not if she doesn't care)
@@mer_acle8101 also, she’s kinda awkward (before and after the makeover) but how is the before look any bad?? She looks like a pretty teenager and they make it seem like she’s weird in some way? In the books it makes more sense because she’s described as being super tall , having no boobs , large feet and unkept hair, all which can be seen as being negative for girls. In the movie she’s Anne Hathaway in glasses lol
Jeeeze this was me too with Big Fat Greek Wedding with the scenes when she was younger! Big hair, glasses. I remember we were watching it together and my family said “hey she looks like Liz”
Yeah, I have a less dense version of her hair, so seeing that movie really messed with my self-image. I straightened my hair every day for 3 years, but eventually I realized I was doing more damage and that I was miserable. Grew my hair out for a few years and I embraced my natural hair.
My english class was talking about movie tropes and my teacher bought up this one and how messed up it is. She used a movie as an example where a guy claims he can make the school's ugliest most unpopular girl the prom queen. I bought up how I was reading a story where it was the same concept, from the girl's perspective, and the story was about how she was literally being mentally abused. It's toxic, romanticized unhealthy body image, and fvcking dangerous Edit: The movie was She's All That
@LeeAnn Hawkins It wasn't Carrie. I forgot the movie's name, but it get parodied by Not Another Teen Movie (I think that was the name f the parody) in scene where the girl comes down the stairs in a red dress.
Thank you for mentioning Grease. Everyone thinks I’m crazy because I think it’s the absolute worse movie for girls to watch. There’s nothing like completely changing yourself for guy who treats you like crap and lies about you. 🙄
@@blkloislane you’d think so, but they are associating curly hair with rebellion and counter culture. Look at the rest of her outfit. She’s going from innocent and pure to reckless. It’s not a positive association for curly hair.
I would love to see a version of this where a girl who feels pressured into being girlie gets a makeover to be the masculine woman she's always wanted to be
@@internetexplorer6304 kat from euphoria says “(...) There's nothing more powerful than a fat girl who doesn't give a fuck.“ and i loved the show for that scene
I literally never noticed that in these makeover montages the camera always pans back to the man, I didn’t realise the significance of these montages thanks for opening my eyes
Dude it made me so uncomfortable as a child and teen how men will always made comments about my looks, some men see those movies and take it all literally 🙄
You made some brilliant points here; allow me to make one more. Makeover scenes usually imply that changing one's image is a one-and-done kind of scenario; nobody ever talks about how when you want to do something with your hair/makeup/clothes/body shape those things take maintenance. To maintain an appearance you've got to commit to it so it's implied through these scenes that these characters are changing their lifestyles completely.
@@lilbean2330 One of the main theories that she pushes is objectification. This concept has been used by feminism to create animosity between men and women resulting in damaged relationships and tragic unhappiness. I don't have time to go into why objectification theory is so wrong, but if you want to know, look up the many criticism of this theory.
@@wordsofcheresie936 I hate to ask, but you could you tell my your opinion? I would love to have a healthy debate lol. I always was a little confused whenever people used objectification as a pint whenever it comes to movies, so I would love to hear your thoughts 🤗
I literally love legally blonde so much because it taught me that I could be feminine. Like a lot of girls I went that through that whole I’m a tomboy boy/ not like other girls thing and it’s sad to reflect on tbh. I really felt like I couldn’t like pink and be smart or I couldn’t like glitter and be good at sports when that’s literally not the case. Legally blonde was the first example I saw where her femininity wasn’t a handicap
When she says "I'm never going to be good enough for you, am I?" was the first time I realized that it doesn't matter if we women are feminine or masculine or beautiful or "ugly". Our society will criticize us for one thing or another so might as well do you.
I am a classical tomboy and always loved Legally Blonde because the protagonist sees what she wants and goes out to get it. Ok, first she wants the guy (bad idea with this guy), but anyway, she does what she thinks will give her a chance. And then she actually likes law school and excells - but without ever changing who she is! And when that asshole professor gropes her, she calls him out on it! And, probably more important, she is kind to just about everyone! As I said, I am a total tomboy, but she really worked as someone to aspire to for me (I was a teenager when the first movie came out).
What's weird is that the ugly duckling tale is actually about the duckling being ridiculed by the other ducks for being different because he is in fact a swan and in the end he doesn't have to change to be accepted, he just has to find his own family/tribe. I don't think the story is about transformation at all, but about fitting in with someone's own group of people.
I find the ugly duckling is also about being on your own phase, the little "duck" was being called "ugly" because they have no idea that it will transform while the other ducks have transformed at that age. I know it sounds weird to say and idk if you understand it but for me, it also being shine at your own phase. The duck has their phase and the swan has their own so it's not fair to mock people appearance or even their achievement just because you've ahead or already on stage that you are comfortable to be yourself.
What's also interesting is what we perceive as feminine vs masculine - sometimes a tomboy or a masculine or an unfeminine woman is a woman who just is - whose appearance is not in any way shaped or embellished. Why is it that men are allowed to get out of the shower, put on a graphic tee and slacks, no shaving no skincare no makeup no styling no nails no accessories and be taken as put together and developed, but when we do it we're lazy or frumpy or unfeminine. Why is masculinity supposedly natural and femininity performative? I mean we know why but yeah. Sometimes these women aren't tomboys they're just people who don't feel like performing womanhood in order to be perceived as properly objectifiable.
Very true! Doing femininity right seems so time and money consuming. Make up consisting of many different products for the face, eyes, lips, hair dyes and styling products, shaving often and everywhere, nail polish... I don't see myself as a tomboy, I actually like some types of feminine clothing but I also don't want to spend so much time and money grooming my appearance.
I think the thing I wish these movies did, was portray these glow ups as girls taking care of themselves if they were neglecting themselves before. Girls having the confidence to wear clothes they wanted to wear, not wearing what's on trend. They all transform into one specific type of eurocentric beauty standard woman, instead of actually becoming confident versions of themselves which just sucks.
Okay. That is totally respectable. But what part of Miss Congeniality isn't exactly what you just said? We see her COMPLETELY reject her own femininity after a traumatic experience. We see her alone in her apartment warming up frozen dinners dinners, with a boxing bag as her only companion and distraction. She is a total slob that has neglected her health and wellbeing, and it just so happens to show in a physical way. When her coach talks about "have you no pride in your presentation?", it's not a comment on her career choice or personal interests, it's a comment on her utter neglect to herself! The only thing that changes about her in the end is that she finally owns a brush and washes her hair and allows herself to wear some light make-up, and a newfound respect for girly girls who actually have a brain and a heart. Where's the harm in that? I've always found it very inspiring to career women who have internalized misogyny.
@@guesswho5790 theres nothing in miss congeniality that suggests the female lead rejects her femininity as a response to trauma. She may have been just as masculine before. It is more accurate to say that she never understood the meaning of femininity or the friendship of sisterhood until she was forced into it.
@@guesswho5790 actually her "glow up" is more detrimental to her health and wellbeing than her "before" life. Don't you remember her complaining about being sleep deprived and starved during the make over? I clearly remember she skipped a few nights sleep, quite a lot of meals, the makeover boss taking away food and sweets and scolding every time she tried to eat...Not sleeping for days and skipping meals is waaaaay worse than a happy life in her flat with regular (frozen, yes, but better than starving) meals and favourite sport. I don't remember if in the very very very end she decided for light makeup as you say, but her makeover was not "owning a brush and washing her hair", it was a obsessive change of every aspect of her look done against her preferences. And also, the "before" look wasn't slob nor neglected, she had a normal hygiene (even if the plot tried to cling to poor table manners and strange laughter to label her as dirty), her clothes were just fine for a workplace. People go to work to actually work, not to be eye candies for colleagues, and no-one has trouble with her male colleagues dressing in a non sexy way? That "she learned to be friendly to girly girls trope" is kinda forced, because most of the time she wasn't accusing the other women to be stupid, she was angry with her colleagues and make over artists and the society for forcing useless beauty standards detrimental to her health and not compatible with her own aesthetic preferences on her, not wanting to be starved and to have every part of your body hair removed against your will is not the same as "hating girly girls"
I feel like Devil wears Prada had exactly this message at the end. Of cours Andy goes by a bottom and a Up period with her feminity, but at the real end of the story, she is not the neglected girl who thinks about girly girls as dumb*ss. Neither the perfectly chic, and beautiful woman she had to be while working for Miranda. She has a simple, but still great, outfit, which just matches her personality. And you feel she is not pressuring herself to always be pretty, but she learnt to embrace her feminity and who she truly wants to dress (I talk about the very last outfit just before the end of the movie) It was actually a great symbol of the balance we could find between outside pressure, and our own personality.
One thing I appreciated about Clueless is they didn't straighten Ty's hair. And towards the end (at Travis' skateboarding thing), I think Ty found a way of dressing that was more stylish while still comfortable for her (excluding the wedding scene, cause she needed a more formal look)
Yeah, I was confused by Mina saying that Ty hadn’t reverted back to her more skater style by using the wedding scene. Deciding to compare a look she’s wearing to a formal event to an everyday school look misrepresents her character arch a bit. The skatepark outfit is a more true representation of her final style.
imo even her skate park outfit is not ***really*** going back to her original style, like if you look at how before her transformation, she wore really baggy clothing. i *could* excuse it, but her final look, which is formal, pushed me over the edge. as a former alternative girl, i would have never worn a dress like that even to a formal event haha
I said this in a separate comment but the irony of Tai is that pre makeover she was actually a more accurate representation of how teenagers were dressing because of the grunge era. Nobody was dressing like Cher and Dionne until after the movie came out
@@gremlita She is wearing skate pants and a baby tee- throw on a flannel and it's basically the same clothes. And her formal dress is actually cut similar to like salwar khamees, traditional Indian clothes, I kind of figured she was on that alternative India -wear Gwen Stefani style. I think Tai was using clothes as defensive armor in the beginning due to her toughness and fear of the new school and her character growth synthesizes learning about fashion with her new confidence and openness and her tomboyness.
I don't need glasses but love them as a fashion accessory lmao I think people just need to get a style of frames that look good on them and adds to their outfit not work against them.
I don't get it either. A pair of ugly glasses or ill-fitting glasses will obviously make you uglier, but a pair of glasses that suits you can make you look better than not wearing them at all.
thank you so much for including that Breakfast Club clip. No one ever talks about the main misogynist theme, with Judd Nelson treating Milly Ringwald like garbage the entire movie then falling for him??? Or the fact that to get Andy to "notice" her, Allison has to become more feminine. "It's nice to finally see your face" makes me wince every time.
The Bender/Claire thing was abusive. Terrible. However Andrew was noticing Allison before her transformation. Watch it again. Prior to her transformation, he starts glancing at her, sending her looks, trying to work up the nerve to talk to her.
@@bellac6311 literally the “after” in this makeover looks like satire, I could not believe they seriously thought she was better looking in this ill-fitting pink outfit. She looked uncomfortable and as though someone had just dressed her like a doll - which I guess is literally what happened. So sad when before she was this super cute (albeit slightly weird lol - what was the food smashing about?) kid
@@anonymmynona8219 I think they were just trying to really drill in that she was "odd" and "weird" with the food smashing, however i watched a video (i'll find the link if ur interested] that looked into the psychologicy behind all her odd behaviour, and said that it was all a cry for help. She was doing it for those around her to ntoice it and go "ew wtf is wrong with her)..attention seeking is first and foremost validation seeking. So if the after in the transformation hadnt looked so fake, itd have meant so much more, because itd be her finally recieving thatvakidation she was going out of her way to seek the rest of the movie. like, maybe they coukdve just changed some parts of her hair and outfit, so that she still looked like her, just a bit more polished? But ig its also her connecting with Clair...like how you humour your friends sometimes and let them give u a makeover. No matter the reason behind it tho...it still looked shit haha
I don't really get that, like, I wear glasses and I myself don't find them making ppl look ugly or anything, why bad eyesight means "ugly" to you Hollywood ._.
Just a theory, but I believe some of the tropes are based on evolutionary concepts - symmetrical features were generally considered more attractive, but some of the tropes are founded upon the "mate" having a higher probability of survival and/or health when it comes to fertility and chances of successful delivery eg long thick hair (your body had enough nutrition), voluptuous "child bearing" hips (lol), 20/20 eyesight - you (and likely your progeny) will have a higher chance of survival. Like I said - it's a hypothesis :) I recognize that nowadays many people may not need glasses to live their daily lives, but their vision may need a teensy bit of correction to get to 20/20. While those who wear glasses are more likely to have perfect 20/20 vision (thanks to the glasses of course). So it's probably a trait that should be retired from the list! Interestingly, even within The Devil Wears Prada, both Gisele Bündchen's character and Miranda Priestly wore glasses (sporadically) and they were ostensibly at the top of their attractiveness game. So I think in modern glow-up stories, switching out from glasses is probably the easiest trick or the low hanging fruit and is probably included to "buff up" the list of transformations. Also, in Japanese anime/manga, you often see a "megane" character who is characterized with wearing glasses and being unusually capable or intelligent (the glasses are the signal of that intellect) - so thankfully other cultures, and some movies within the Western culture are embracing glasses as just that - a tool :)
I find it funny cause I’m pretty sure most people wanted to get glasses to seem cool (or at least that’s how it was with me, getting my vision absolutely wrecked seemed like a positive when I was younger cause I got to wear glasses and I thought it made me look cool 😭)
Honestly, as someone with fine eyesight. I think glasses can look really good and can really be flattering. I love it especially when people use them to emphasise their personal aesthetic.
I just remembered Recess, an aminated disney series, the tomboy gets in a beauty pangeant and undergoes the makeover scene, she looks nice and does great in the contest but in the middle she realizes that just isn't her and goes back to her old style (granted,it´s because of the status quo but is still one of the few examples where the girl learns to be faithful to herself)
I remember that episode! I was proud of Spinelli for taking a stand and revealing her true self! If I also remember that the only reason that she was in the beauty pageant in the first place was because the Ashleys were trying to humiliate her!
Well....because her curls were real. But I see what you mean. But most of the time curly haired girls want straight hair and straight haired girls want curly hair. Straight haired girl here and I always wanted curly hair. And now in my after 30s life my hair is curling bc of the change in my hormones. But it’s not all over, it’s awesome. I have to braid my hair in sections to make it look even.
@@nekograce7914 the original comment had a point of educating people to embrace what they already have and how to properly care for it. So this isn’t a case about wanting the opposite of what you have, more so about having straight hair vs. curly. You “learn” to want the opposite things because of toxic beauty standards and these “transformation sequences” do fuel that - especially in younger audiences. the beauty standards consist traits that are heavily white and associated with whiteness - hence why straight silky hair is seen as regal and appropriate for royalty/anything really while curly hair is seen as unkempt and not fitting for a princess.
@@nekograce7914 i feel like straight hair girls want a different kind of curly hair than what’s real? uhh like they don’t want curly baby hair that’s impossible to control, they don’t want the frizz, etc, like it’s just to be pretty, and curly haired girls just want to be,,, normal? maybe it’s just me because i was singled out for having curly hair and have friends who permed their hair straight just for this. not sure if it’s a universal thing
@@nekograce7914 straight hair girl here and I can relate. My stepsister has curly hair and she always wants to straighten 8t while I'm the opposite. I'm not sad i don't have curly hair I'm happy with long hair as according to people with curly hair its harder to keep it nice and not messy while my hair is so easy to comb and it always looks nice even after sleeping
I love the "glow up" in Legally Blond because her style doesn't change. She sees that the man she likes doesn't take her seriously because of her cute, pink, blonde-girl style, so she goes to law school to prove to him that she is intelligent. BUT her cute and pink style doesn't change. She stays true to herself, but still explores a new side of her.
This might just be the most heartwarming comment I’ve ever seen on UA-cam! You should indeed be proud- Mina’s content is entertaining, educational, and so well researched!
I’ve always felt as if the ugly duckling plot pushed a lot of young girls who looked like the “ugly duckling” to feel bad about themselves especially for having glasses, or curly hair.. which are beautiful, but also out of our control
Here's the thing. As a woman myself, some DO find empowerment in embracing more 'feminine' traits or 'looking like a sexy bad bitch' or feeling great and powerful in flowy dresses and all of that is fine! What bothers me is how forced it is. If a woman (or man or non-binary) wants to go through a makeover because they decide it could help their sense of confidence, which a makeover is sometimes able to do, I think it's awesome and incredibly empowering. But in all these damn movies, the makeover is FORCED upon them to please OTHERS, not themselves. And most people I know who do makeovers isn't because they were ugly before, it's just they need a change and sometimes a physical change can help in that - which is A okay.
I agree with this- I also love dressing up to feel sexier. But then recently I realized what makes me feel sexy is the same clothes/makeup that make me desirable to men. aka what makes me feel good potentially only does so because it's what I was taught would help me seem attractive to men
I would say Big Fat Greek Wedding is a good example of that. There's an awkward moment when her love interest realizes he ignored her before the makeover, but the makeover is for herself, not for him. I like seeing her use it to gain the confidence to go to college and make friends and become independent from her father.
You should probably ask yourself why spending money on beauty products makes you feel "empowered". The only people who are truly empowered by your decision to perform femininity are the CEOs (mostly male) of beauty companies who have fed you the idea since birth that you are worth more if you look more attractive.
@@judopuff7255 ...What? I have every right to feel empowered however I want. And what, because I like some makeup and flowy dresses.. I can't be an empowered woman? That makes absolutely no sense. I have every right to feel empowered by what I want, just like you. It has nothing to do with standards of beauty or capitalism.
Glasses can add to a stunning look when they suit the person's face shape. I used to hate wearing glasses and switched to contacts until I found glasses that really suited me. Now I love wearing them.
That's absolutely true! I would look absolutely terrible in anything but rectangle frames, but with them I look just as good (or even better?) than without glasses.
I like the makeover in My Big Fat Greek Wedding, because she does it for herself. It's implied she wasn't taking care of herself before because her self esteem was so low, but once she gains more confidence her looks and attitude reflect that. No movie needs a makeover scene, but if you're going to do it, do it like that.
yes exactly! It didn't sit right with me that this movie was used as a bad example in this video and now I know why The movie also shows how the male adapts to her "difficult" family for her so it's pretty balanced in terms of transformations.
@@ingupin i don't think it was used as a "bad" example but just a visual example to thread in with all the other makeovers. at least, that's how i saw it. i'm most of the way through & she hasn't mentioned it yet, i feel like it was purely visual.
I agree that it's one of the best!! Also the male lead doesn't treat her differently, when she refers to herself as frumpy he says he doesn't remember anyone frumpy, but he remembers her. Her makeover doesn't result in male validation, it encourages her to be confident enough to engage in a relationship.
the fact that most "glow ups" are of girls with bushy eyebrows/curly hair/big noses... whos new look is thin brows and striaght hair... we need to talk about how this is also borderline racist and that these movies only find white "beauty" traits good. the racism luv
The fact that I know not a SINGLE POC/WOC who got a makeover and didn’t even think about it until this comment is scary; thanks for the heads up! And from your phrasing it sounds like you got over your self image problems, which is super duper cool!🥳
Yes, another curly-haired latina here and I realized way too late that the features I was most self-conscious about (peach fuzz, translucent under-eyes, baby hairs, nose bump) were the ones that didn't adhere to Euro-American beauty standards.
i can actually think of one unconventional transformation and that is fiona from shrek lol. i remember being disappointed as a little girl, but now i can appreciate the positive and refreshing messaging
Oh my goodness I agree!!!! ten-year-old me watching it was weirded out as to why Fiona would remain in her ogre form. But growing up I completely relate to wanting to look the way you feel comfortable the most
"the incendiary take that femininity is the only way to 'grow up' or become a 'real woman'" YES! PREACH IT! I've been a tomboy most of my life and I totally _resent_ the idea that this is...unfinished, wrong, not "a full woman". Some ADULT women just want to wear t-shirts, jeans and ponytails, you know? There's nothing _wrong_ with me. It's just that makeup, high heels and figure-fitting fashionable clothes aren't ME.
Also i think working on yourself can be In a physical way like exercise, mental way like studying, spititual like thinking.... It is ALL working on oneself, and it can be done arguably even more easily in comfy clothes than in feminine coded
A T-shirt, jeans, and a ponytail would actually be more fashionable than 95% of the makeup, high heels, and figure-fitting "fashionable" clothes on the runway. Remember those ugly bubble dresses that the models could barely walk in?
Rather than getting rid of glasses, it would've probably been better if they just decided to find better glasses ['Cuz glasses frames rly affects how you look: I remember this random moment where everyone wearing glasses decided to take off their glasses for a while and they looked rly weird because we rarely see their face w/o glasses - part of the reason why I decided to be the type who wears glasses when they need to instead of 24/7, since I don't think my vision is so bad that I need to do that, and I wasn't sure whether I wanted to try contacts (will probably try at some point, but it doesn't rly have anything to do w/ wanting to 'look better', but just 'cuz I want to try it + some coloured contacts seem interesting)]
When you mentioned eating disorders in the 1920's it reminded me of something I had read stating the theory that disorders such as anorexia nervosa could have developed as a result of Victorian standards of female propriety. To kinda quote the excerpt I read, "It has been suggested it's cultural roots lie in the era's denigration of eating as inherently unfeminine and dangerously sexual. Medical accounts from the 1890's began describing cases of teenagers who stopped eating because of comments from their mothers about their weight. By not eating, young women distanced themselves from sexuality, and demonstrated their proper and moral status. Deprived of other avenues of self expression, young women could at least decline to eat; refusing food provided a voice to these women". Not really relevant to this video but an interesting but of information I think
Intresesting. I suppose it could be so in some cases as each case is a bit different. However, it is important to note that eating disorders don't always equal *willfull* rejection of food. Some are just obsessive-compulsive eating patterns related to food that one develops as a coping mechanism for a certain trauma (which would disprove this theory). I used to have an ED and I didn't even know I had one. But as I've said, every case is different :)
@@ludmilacervena1647: that’s interesting, I experienced the opposite. there were a lot of factors in my eating disorder, but one of the biggest was actually control. My trauma actually stemmed from not having control, and an eating disorder was my way of getting it. I know if someone would’ve told me to eat, I would’ve only tried harder, as I’ve heard is the more common experience with ED
Isn't Victorian also the era when the hour glass body waist is popular too? No wonder they could get their waist so small, not only with corset, they didn't eat too....
My mother is foreign, and I remember watching these movies as a young girl with her. She was just as in awe as I was with the transformations and we would watch them every night. I know it stuck with her because she never sees herself as beautiful now. Seeing that makes me so sad because I think she’s the most beautiful woman. And I look like her! So Idk. I kind of resent every movie I grew up with.
One of my favourite sorta “opposite transformations” is from cloudy and a chance of meatballs where the girl sam originally starts out with her hair out and no glasses giving her the more “pretty” appearance but after talking to Flint he actually puts ON her glasses and helps tie her hair up. So she feels more like herself and happy and its just a really sweet moment and more movies should do that.
It makes me so sad that most TikTok trends are literally based on the concept of "glowing up" and "looking better than before", by using makeup and "beauty" products as a way of getting a makeover; it's obvious proof of how the phenomenon of the "ugly duckling" has been brainwashed into all of us. I have nothing against girls wearing makeup because they enjoy it, or they feel pretty with it... I'm saying that it's wrong that many women get pressured into being "feminine" and "classy", even when they don't feel like it. (This isn't a female-exclusive issue: don't get me started on toxic masculinity, or on the misconception that non binary people have to look andorgynous to be valid!)
Ugly duckling is fact, not brainwashing. I had that makeover for fun... on a lark and it changed my life personally and professionally. There is a scientific thing called pretty priveldge where especially women but also men treat beautiful women better. Some ugly women will treat them far worse... but over all good looking people are treated better. It was a sad observation, but not being American I think that cognative therapy is about accepting reality and not living in la la land. Women are pressured into being being feminine and classy because biology is a sexist pig. The classier I am, the nicer even the most convinced feminists are to me. It's pretty sad how in real life women's biology make them treat women according to how they look. I find men are less bad than women at this. Biology is sexist. Societies that accept nature instead of being delusional and work around it are happier. I find the western society to be arrogant thinking because they can send a man to the moon they can rewire the brain and undo millions of years of evolution with a couple words. The result is a lie culture - westerners lie that basically gravity doesn't exist, and you can jump off your balcony, flap your wings and fly, that santa claus and the tooth fairy exist. Lie, lie, lie. Why all the lying - because western ideals are not compatable with biology, because the platoist idealists took over from the aristotlean realists. Ugly duckling is encoded into our DNA. If we can accept it, and that no Hollywood propaganda will change this, just make life harder for autists like myself... we can work around our sexist biology and make it less toxic. Denying our sexist biology will only make it more sexist and toxic while paying lipservice to impossible non toxic ideals that few can live with - and the gap causing lie culture and corruption. Men can't get pregnant, therefore biology is sexist. Men want looks in a woman, and women are designed to compete for the top men who provide and protect.
@@Theartisticyoshi If you think the world is a place you want to live in you speak from a place of privilege so stop being a bigot. More affluent people from more affluent countries have money including from welfare to deny reality and have money to save them from the consequences of their actions. You speak from privilege. Maybe you can accept that and not be a racist towards those from countries where people do not have a welfare state and have the priveldges you have. Let's be honest about that and the fastest social elevator without doing anything is racism, and the easist way to get away with being a racist and elevate your status in a racist way without getting in trouble and bashing less economically privileged countries is by being a feminist. Let's be honest with each other, and don't gaslight and manipulate me, who grew up in civil war in the third world. I speak for not myself but women who can't even read and write in my village and tribe that you bully. Honestly that is the most privileged statement I heard, growing up under bombs.
One thing I noticed is, """feminine""" women are mostly laughed at by women (the whole "i'm not like the other girls" and "pick me girls" thing). Also, in most movies, feminine women are bad/mean/dumb while the MC is smart/kind/funny. And that doesn't sit right either :/
clearly for tomboy pick me I'm not like the other girls femenizem is about bullying girls who have a different style and dare to make themselvs feel better abt themselvs by adding a bit of make up and tanning.
Well the “ugly duckling” of Hans Christian Anderson’s tale was actually a swan all along. It’s just that he believed he was a duck and so did everyone else. So a real “ugly duckling transformation” would be one where the main character learns the truth about themselves in some fashion. Not a story about “glowing up”. Cinderella likewise was always beautiful, that’s why the stepmother and stepsisters tormented her. The fairy godmother’s transformation of her appearance was about appropriateness rather than beauty. She had made herself a formal outfit, but the stepsisters ruined it: and she had no more time to acquire a new one. Likewise she did not have time to do her hair in a formal style. The fairy godmother isn’t giving her a “glow up”, but a wardrobe, coiffure and ride.
This! I am 1 year late but still. I also do not find this example suitable because the intention was not shifted to the "ugliness" of the duckling, but to the fact it simply didnt belog to the ducks and the ducks were the ones who was portrayed as dumb and pre-assuming creatures. So the moral of the story is rather "be yourself and you will find those to whom you belong" which is totally opposite to the concept of transformation trope.
The only montage I remember from a girl becoming masculine (a gentleman) is Haruhi Fujioka from Ouran Host club. She never accepts a full face of make up, high heels aesthetic as it is inconvenient, she also was never an actual ugly duckling that had to later on conserve that beauty. She had a regular not so masculine, not so feminine sense that had at first and keeps at the end, just had a bad day when the guys did the first makeover. She will have in special occasions a glow up, but will return to her previous state after it, pretty much as any other girl. There is also Utena from revolutionary girl Utena, she at some point, has about two girly makeovers, but rejects both of them as she realizes that is not her, she later on embraces masculinity in order to become a prince which was her dream.
Yes! I loved how in the anime she was still herself no matter what she wore ( If I remember correctly, I haven’t watched that anime in years 😅) Reminds me of what my boyfriend told me once, which was that clothes are just clothes...
Haruhi is a gem lmao I miss ouran. She had short hair and glasses, had no problem wearing the host club uniform and pretending to be a boy for the sake of keeping the girls happy (and paying her debt haha), she wore a range of clothing that went from baggy sweaters to pink shirts with ruffled sleeves and just dgaf no matter what she was wearing. And when romance would pop up she was like "no thanks", did not take ANY of tamaki's bs, and was all around an enjoyable character. wow suddenly I'm back in 9th grade and want to read the whole manga again
mean girls is just great overall, It's also noticable how at the end the 'plastics' aren't demonised - they, like Cady, work through their identities to become happy with who they are and not what other people see them as even without changing into more 'masculine' or tomboyesk clothing
yeah, regina george’s whole thing was that she was never given a proper outlet for her anger so she resorted to bullying other girls. And near the end, she finally learns to deal with her anger healthily and joins a sports team.
The only movie I can think of that does a "glow down" (idk what else to call it) is cloudy with a chance of meatballs. Sam sparks starts with flowy straight hair, no glasses, makeup, etc. She ends the movie with her hair in a scrunchie and big thick glasses. Not significant but it's something
And it wasn't a nerd-turned-hottie trope, it was reversed! She changed her look back to the way she liked, and she actually loved science and weather and was super smart like flint. She was so happy when she got that weather meter thing
This reminds me of one Ouran High School Host Club manga chapter when Haruhi meets an academic girl who has straight hair and looks fine but she is constantly stressed about something. In the end it's revealed that she feels constant pressure to straighten her super curly hair to just fit the norm and it's eating her inside. I really like the other direction that the club did as they helped her to feel more comfortable to come to school with her beautiful frizzy hair and supported her along the journey to feel more comfortable with herself. I feel like this is very wholesome take on the genre where curly hair is demonized so much and they even gave a little psa what kind of damage this treatment does to your hair in a long run.
what i hate most about "glow ups" and makeover culture is how its directed, most of the time at young girls. i remember being younger and all i had was pinterest (actually all i have still) and seeing pictures of girls who were way older than me, but portrayed to be young and what girls my age "should look like". an 11 year old girl comparing herself to a 20 yr old women is unrealistic, especially when your saying she has the "ideal" body type. deny it all u want, but social media encourages that... recently while i was watching a movie with my 5 year old cousin and she said to me , " why dont i look like that, she so pretty, i wish i looked like her." here is my 5 year old cousin, comparing herself to a full grown women, and because she doesnt look like her she thinks she isnt pretty. now little kids cant even be naive to how they look anymore. and it isnt just social media, its movies, tv, youtube, everything really. so until society stops making an "ideal" glow up culture will continue to thrive. unless they start implementing realistic portrayals of various kinds of people into the platforms we view. thats when peoples view of themselves will become healthier.
^^^ This. Full grown actors playing teenagers as well. Teenagers look gangly and goofy. Braces, baby fat, stupid haircuts. I know it’s hard to film with minors, bc of contracts, but if you can’t depict teens right, why do it at all
it's so funny, bc I was always mesmerised by the make over scenes (but sometimes I was also like, oh no she looked better before) but somehow it always stayed at admiring it. (bc I knew that was not me, so I never had the feeling that I had to look like them)
This is where p3dophilia plays in. Disgusting grown men/women who are into young (looking) girls. Or grown women who look younger than they are, acting cute or like a child for validation and attention. Also because they like vulnerable girls, who don’t stand up for themselves...😬
Did you try to explain to your cousin that she shouldn't compare herself to a full grown woman? That she is already pretty and will be always as she grows up?
Actually I prefer contacts to glasses as I cannot see sideways wearing glasses nor can I be too active. Which makes me feel better simply because I see better with contacts.
@@bluenuttefly8813 I think you are right, that's part of the reason. But I also hate how that's equated with taking care of yourself. You can take care of yourself without using make-up, shaving etc. On the contrary I know many woman where it's the opposite, myself included. Anytime my mental health plummets, that's when I want to use make-up etc. Because that's when insecurities can really come to surface and I'll attempt to mask them. Meanwhile when I feel better, I find it easier to accept myself for my natural self and everything that entails.
One of my favorite makeover scenes is the one from Stranger Things where Max takes El to the mall to cheer her up because she's having boy problems. At the store, she asks what she should wear and Max encourages her to find her OWN style and is entirely supportive of everything she wants to try on. Then, rather than searching for male validation, her makeover is mostly ignored by Mike as we get the famous "I dump your ass" line from her as she is learning who she is and how to speak up for herself. We still get the aesthetic, fun, girly makeover montage but it's so positive and has nothing to do with making El prettier or different. The focus is simply helping her find herself and what she likes.
yes, I think so too. Lately any video that focuses on giving a message of female empowerment receives comments from (mostly) men trying to victimize themselves saying that feminism hates men. I love that in this comment section everyone is aware of how women continue to be subjected to misogynistic standards and stereotypes.
@file not found I'm a girl, and I'd still say toxic masculinity needs to be addressed, but I don't get why they'd go to a female empowerment video to rant about it.
okay so everyone's writing meaningful comments, about stuff to do with the video and its message..i just wanna point out how i love the fact that the plant in the background has a label on it that says "plant" ;-;
I feel like woman have to suffer with living to the standards of the male gaze, I've noticed that even as an concious feminist adult I still have this believes ingrained in my brain, sometimes I even wonder how many women truly live their lives without thinking of male validation. Bc I feel like make validation still holds so much power over woman.
If we keep being conscious then hopefully there will be a generation where all women are naturally unaware of the male gaze just living their best lives
“Male fantasies, male fantasies, is everything run by male fantasies? Up on a pedestal or down on your knees, it's all a male fantasy: that you're strong enough to take what they dish out, or else too weak to do anything about it. Even pretending you aren't catering to male fantasies is a male fantasy: pretending you're unseen, pretending you have a life of your own, that you can wash your feet and comb your hair unconscious of the ever-present watcher peering through the keyhole, peering through the keyhole in your own head, if nowhere else. You are a woman with a man inside watching a woman. You are your own voyeur.” ― Margaret Atwood, The Robber Bride
i would also like to say that this transformation is further fueled by the beauty industry bc the more insecure you are, the more products you buy to "fix" that
You just reminded me of an episode in Phineas and Ferb titled "Attack of the 50 foot sister" where that's one of the lessons, and even one character admits out loud what you commented. They outright say that "beauty" is always made unattainable so people will never stop buying products.
About the ugly duckling. My mom once told me that she interprets it in another way. Not as the duckling getting accepted because he became beautiful, but as the duckling getting accepted because he was never a duckling in the first place. He was always a swan, but he wasn't in the right group, in the place where he fits in. In human terms, maybe sometimes the place you are at or the people who are with you are not YOUR group. It kinda happened to me personally, in my childhood. I don't have many memories of first and second grade but, even if it's a bit enlarged by me being a child (at that age everything seems more drastic) but I felt completely left alone. Completely separated from everyone. Not just my whole class, my whole school. There were a couple people I genuinely liked, but I could count them on one hand. But I changed school, and my life took a turn. Did I have an happy ever after when me and my classmates would always be togheter forever? Hell no. I am genuinely friends with 2 of them, but much much more with one, whom I know since I was like, 2 months old. But school was much less unbearable because finally, I could be in the group instead of an outsider just looking to them, almost as if I didn't know them. I know it's a bold statement to say something like that happened to me at the age of 7, not even 2 numbers, but God if I can still to this day feel those emotion. All of this to say, that sometimes it's not you that should change but who you surround yourself with. Ofc that doesn't make the "ducks" lesser people, just...not your people, who sometimes don't even keep you away with a malicious intent, they just don't know how to be with you.
Do you think this is why our society has such an obsession to “glow up”? Glowing up is just growing into our feathers and finding our our style, but it is treated in such a different way. (Also I think this is heavily influence by capitalism, because they need to sell us something that we are “missing”. Products that will “transform” us into the “glowed up” version of ourselves.)
Yes! During my glow up phase in college, I’m disgusted now at how many things I needed and wanted back then. I bought so many clothes, make up, moisturizers etc.... I was addicted and it was never enough. I became superficial, and now am way more content with just the things I have.
This is why I have always loved the scene "Welcome to the 60s" from Hairspray. It features a makeover montage, but the makeover is only about making Tracy and her mom feel confident and accept themselves, not be pretty.
YESSSS hey mama hey mama follow me, I know something's in ya that you wanna set free so LET GO GO GO OF THE PAST NOW, SAY HELLO TO THE LOVE IN YOUR HEART, YES I KNOW THAT THE WORLD'S SPINNIN FAST NOW BUT YOU GOTTA GET YOURSELF A BRAND NEW START
“you’re a virgin who can’t drive”
i felt *personally* attacked and for WHAT reason
fuck this humiliation. I'm gonna call the driving school now.
the relatability inside of this bus is ✨a s t r o n o m i c a l✨
same
I'm still a virgin who can't drive.
@Tania R Me too, I’m almost 19 and I don’t plan on either of those things changing for a good long while 😂
This trope really ruled the early 2000's
It really did, and occasionally popped up in 80's and 90's movies as well. 💄
Its still VERY prominent in anime tbh
Another point: All these are romcom movies.
Excuse me, can you explain me what trope means in simple words? English is not my first language :) Thanks!
@@AdmanlovesAdman It is an idea that is repeated often, in this case the "trope" is that an ugly person is sad and lonely until the become beautiful then they are happy. Hope that helps!
so weird how glasses are considered ugly, like they are literally just.. necessary... for me to see...
I stopped using glasses when i was 8 because they were considered ugly. Now im almost blind lmaooo i regret
fr how tf are you gonna call me ugly for not seeing
curly hair, big noses, etc are also not choices
I have an practically blind “lazy eye” (20/100 😳) and there’s a HUGE difference in the thickness in my glass lenses. This means that ones clear and the other one magnifies my eye a shit load and makes me look hella goofy.
I’ve considered monocles wondering if it would make it look MORE conventional.
Even though I look ridiculous I would still never consider taking my glasses off while my eyes are open, I get a one eye migraine instantly. It’s MEDICAL
"BEING VISUALLY CHALLENGED IS UGLY". I dont get it either like SORRY I HAVE AN ASTIGMATISM ASSHOLES
I'm an extremely feminine girl myself, and the thing about femininity is that it's only fun when it's a choice and not a thing that's expected of you by everyone else.
Honestly I think people need to stop scrutinizing women too much and just let them be. It’s either you’re too feminine or too masculine and there’s no right way to just be yourself.
Exactly!! When its expected it becomes a chore and it gets tiring because if you're not what everyone expects you to be they kind of shun you and then you have to worry about avoiding this problem and always have to be self conscious of how you look like :/
I think that goes for a lot of traits/ideals that is highly valued socially speaking. The more these traits/ideals are praised and valued, the more people will feel pressured to conform to those ideals.
I think femininity is a good example of such an ideal (as is masculinity btw), and girls are expected to naturally act appropriately.
Because of that I've never wanted to fall in love with a girl because she was very feminine, like it's something you can't expect someone to adhere to because it's your "fantasy" so to speak, for girls to act that way. It just seemed selfish and superficial to me. Like you don't really like the person, you just like the cute looks and how she acts. I wanted to fall in love for less superficial reasons.
I ended up falling in love though with, in hindsight, a very feminine girl. At the time I thought I liked her because she was kind and genuine, didn't seem to be affected by things other people said or thought, and she didn't seem to judge people. And she was funny too. In my mind those were good reasons for being in love with her. What I did not want to focus on was, how cute her smile was or how soft her voice was, her eyes, her hair, her laugh. And I'd be a liar if I told you those things didn't matter. Many years later I just accept that that is how attraction works, of course it's not everything but it was rather foolish to try to deny it altogether.
Now I think a big part of why I didn't feel comfortable appreciating those superficial things was for two reasons; they were just exterior/looks and you should fall for the person, not for her looks (1), and there was pressure to have those things, if you expect them in your partner you put pressure on her to be a certain way (and you shouldn't obviously) (2). I didn't necessarily think she felt pressured to act in a feminine way necessarily but regardless I felt I shouldn't add pressure, so I shouldn't be crazy about those things, not even in my mind.
What I didn't really consider was that she probably liked being that way as well so it wasn't something I should have felt guilty about liking about her. Anyway, I figured she must have felt the same way as you and it reminded me of her.
(Bit of a self-indulgent rant tbh but it feels good writing about it, like therapy of some sorts)
UP 😭
this tbh
as a woman with thick glasses and super curly frizzy hair, this trope f***ed me up as a young girl
I have to agree. Not an adult yet. Still a teenager. As a kid I really felt for having natural wavy and frizzy hair that looks like a mane. As well wear glasses. I got over it but my mother still forcing the trope at me. Like bro, how about I learn to take care of my natural hair and glasses that do suit me instead of having to waste hours and money to straight hair and transion everything else.
SAME
Curly hair is so cool tho
(Not my account sorry) I'm still a teen and I feel exactly the same. Most of the girls in their "ugly phase" looked and still look like me ://
same. it took me ages to accept my glasses as part of me (I hate wearing contacts, I tried though, to "look pretty" of course)
I love how the "ugly" isn't even ugly
exactly
Haha yeah ugly usually means to put on make up and take of glasses
Their version of "ugly" is an already gorgeous actress wearing the Clark Kent glasses
@@marisp2588 like they're going convince us Audrey Hepburn is ugly with bangs 🤣
hollywood picking girls that are already conventionally beautiful and giving them stereotypically ugly traits that aren't even ugly (curly hair, glasses) to make them a bit less pretty
it's sooo weird, whenever i take off my glasses, "kiss me" by sixpence none the richer starts playing and everything is in slow motion ???? does anyone else have this??
thought it was just me who had this problem :O
i visualise myself descending the staircase looking like a snack like in she’s all that 💀
@@yutassmilehealsme6572 Assuming that you aren't short sighted (like yours truly), and can actually *see* the stairs, instead of them just being a blurry slope.
Right? Like Im just trying to sleep, not attract men. Ugh, is there a fix for this??
I only really wear my glasses to drive (I'm short sighted) and whenever I take them off and get out of the car my shoes magically turn into heels for a sexy leg close up as I step out of the car and my hair falls out of my hair tie so I have to do a hair flip to keep it out of my face. In slow motion of course.
We honestly need a makeover film where a tomboy is taught to dress more fashionably in masculine styles.
Yes!
And can the tomboy please be played by Kristen Stewart?
And can the tomboy not be a total pick-me because every movie that has a tomboy in it they always have to make her incredibly edgy or rude to other girls for no reason
@@Twat_Dirt to solve this, she will have a femme girlfriend she adores and respects
@@Twat_Dirt yea like I don't want the her to be like, "omg girls are so annoying and dramatic, that's why I'm friends with guys"
I really like how in Legally Blonde Elle also has a makeover of her clothing style, but reverts back to her original style in the end because she's being true to herself, not because looking girly is better than looking preppy.
Yes💯
EMMET was the one who got the ugly duckling transformation in Take It Like A Man
Agree, as well as the transformation in The Devil Wears Prada. Andy changes her style to something much more high fashion yes in part to pressure, but also to be more in tune with her job and gain a better understanding of her peers who are constantly expressing that Andy’s disinterest in such a major job is insulting. In the end, when Andy quits she gives all of her new fancy clothes to Emily, and reverts back to a more polished version of her original style, indicating that while she’s definitely affected by her time at Runway she still hasn’t lost sight of herself. Her final looks show her growth as a person and actually makes sense
YES! And you know the transformation montage she talked about in the video? I love how the montage in Legally Blonde was of her like studying and working hard because she wanted to get into Harvard. Granted, her motive for getting in was again for basically some form of male validation BUT I'm gonna forgive that 'cause it all worked out in the end for the better.
Not gonna lie Emmet getting that transformation actually made me feel better as a guy, cause that made me feel like I could like dressing up and feeling pretty and it felt amazing. See the stereotype for women is to be pretty but men aren't "allowed to" so seeing a guy get to feel pretty was amazing for me. I felt like I could be me and I'll never forget legally blonde
why is wearing glasses always portrayed as being ugly like damn we’re just tryna see
Yeah, but I guess guys prefer it when you can't SEE that you can do better than a superficial guy.
fr! sorry i don’t have perfect perception like y’all smh
Ugly Betty got nicer glasses though
RIGHTT
When Harry Potter wears glasses, he's cute
When a girl wears glasses, she's deemed _ugly_
you ever notice how if an ‘ugly’ guy ends up with a pretty girl he never has to change but the ‘ugly’ girl ALWAYS has to change her appearance
Facts
If you are a man and you want a beautiful girl as a girlfriend, you are right. If you are a girl and wants a handsome man as a boyfriend, you are superficial and you don't care about his feelings. That pisses me off
a guy in my class once joked about my small boobs in front of the whole boys gang without even realising it and later when i asked him why he did that he straightly told me he didn't say anything wrong . I-😶😶😶
@@rishikapaul4740 think your projecting a little bit, mate.
Facts. You’ll never see a movie where Beauty is a man while The Beast is a woman. Women are supposed to look past a man’s appearance to love him for who he is, yet that same courtesy is never extended to women. Men can be as shallow as they want.
Imagine how it felt being a dark skin black girl with glasses and kinky curly hair watching this trope.
I like the use of Kinky curly hair lol
I'd imagine you need a life outside watching TV......
Exactly 💯, as a brown Indian girl with wavy hair it really fucked up my way of looking at my hair like past me did nit need to beg my mom to buy me a hair straightener at age 14
@@alejandromolinac yes but the entire point of this video is that the media WILL have an impact on your life outside of television. Whether you like it or not.
@@SieMiezekatze hairs with kinks in them are more difficult to style than “normal” smooth curly hairs. I have a mix of both. Kinky hair will look frizzy when curly or straight.
I hate when they classify a naturally beautiful girl as ugly. It sends a super damaging message.
@Isabella’s Art not only that but since the girl is already conventionally pretty it's like, that still isn't good enough?? Which can make normal young women feel very poor about themselves. Extremely damaging.
@@alexandria8116 this.
@@alexandria8116 That's exactly why it's done. I mean how else are they going to convince women and girls to buy thousands of dollars worth of beauty products every year. If you already feel good about yourself, you might think twice about buying that $200 eye cream from Sephora.
@@LAChantrose eye creams are just overpriced moisturisers
they jus get a conventionally pretty girl and throw some glasses on her like having shitty eyesight takes away from the fact she's already the exact beauty standard.
glasses shouldn't be considered "nerdy".
they are meant for people to be able to see.
ikr..
Apparently for children, the higher their (nonverbal) IQ, the more likely they are to have myopia, so the association is not totally random
I think its because of if you read a lot or do research on a particular topic on a daily basis, even during the night, you'll eventually strain your eyes which leads to wearing glasses. I dont support glasses being made fun of as "nerdy", I'm just trying to understand the point of view of the stereotype.
Exactly!!! Like, nowadays, most people wear glasses becuz they looked at a screen too much (Me). It's only a few that get glasses becuz of some eye condition and it mostly happens to Kids (I also had an eye condition so I wore glasses as a kid. My eye used to be cross eyed when I stared at some for too long or something. Still happens but quite less in comparison. Now I wear glasses cuz I looked at a screen too much) and the stereotype of ppl who wear glasses, it's cuz they're "nerds" and read books 24/7 or whatever. Like, u CAN be a "nerd" but wear glasses cuz of looking at the screen too much. Being smart is not a personality trait ppl🤦♀️
Btw, which era of Nayeon is on Ur pfp? I'm tryna figure it out. Is it M&M era?
Yeah! We are just tryna see
it's so true and sad that they don't even even focus on the girls reaction but go straight to the man's expression for validation - pure sexism
True.
yes, and even though the message is wrong, tons of women do this for the validation of a man in real life. It is natural to want to appeal to the opposite sex, and mostly the man you are interested in. Yes, the message should be do it for yourself, but if we are talking like for real, it is not always the case in real life.
Yup, she's a doll to be validated by others preferably a male love interest
@@adrianagarza7114 when i glow up, i do for young girls, and myself, never a man so idrk if that's still the case for women/young women today😌
@@NiaCornelia Sadly it is. I have tons of young patients that are dealing with depression. On the outside they pretend they do everything for themselves, but after a few months in therapy, we start to discover that they want to be accepted by the cool crowd, by the popular guy. Sadly, a lot of the movies from the 90s were teenagers did tons of stupid things for the cool crowd, still happens today.
What I really liked about Andy's character arc in The Devil Wears Prada was that at the start, her clothes looked descent but it was ill-fitted for her. In Runway, she became open to different styles and she was able to dress herself that enhances her innate beauty. She had designer everything there. When she walked out of Runway, she did not revert to her "old" self, but she was still able to look fashionable with everyday clothes (not designer ones).
She found something in her time in Runway and was able to hold on to that, all the while still being able kee her "true" self intact. She changed, yes, but she changed for the better. For her betterment
I don't hate Andy's character arc, but I'm not 100% convinced by your final argument. Like, I appreciate being able to dress well in clothes that fit you is a valid skill and good on people who want to learn it. If I was forced by society to learn how to draw better, that would be a "change for the better" as well, but at the same time, what if I don't particularly want to learn how to draw? What if I'd rather spend my time and energy doing something else? Any skill you learn is kind of "for your betterment", but at the same time, the only clothes-related skill I feel everyone should have to learn is how to dress right to certain very specific situations (these may be different for everyone). Being able to dress well in your personal life is a skill that, if you want to learn it, great, but why should I be required to learn it just because other people are interested in it, you know? There are tons of skills I'll never learn. Like, imagine how weird it would be for a film to basically end with "phew, we finally managed to convince her of the importance of learning how to draw well" Like... a bit creepy, right?
@@Casutama I think the big difference is that in Devil Wears Prada, the reason for her dressing better isn't for society or for a man, it was from her determination to succeed at her job (that she willingly took) in the fashion industry. I don't think it was "forced" at all in this movie, I felt it was implied that she began to take interest and enjoy it. She was someone who previously made fun of the fashion industry and models but through working the job, took something positive from the experience, learned new things, and made friends with the people she didn't understand before.
I really love that they didn't demonise the glamour and exessiveness of girly femininity. So many movies pick a side and usually choose to imply that traditional femininity is weak and stupid. Devil wears Prada refuses to fall for that trap
I think the point of the original Ugly Duckling story is that you might not be surrounded by the right people. The ugly duckling wasn't just ugly, he completely didn't fit in with the other ducks, bc he was a whole ass different species! Once he figured that out and found other swans who understood him, he felt like he belonged! (so: you don't have to change yourself, but change the people who can't accept you for who you are)
Actually yes, and loving and accepting yourself for who you truly are
That is such a beautiful thought 🦋💫
LOVE THIS 🙌
This is also a story about Andersen as a child - dyslectic with Asperger growing up in "healthy" society, being taken for imbecile.
YES YES YES! MILLION TIMES YES!! That's the original meaning of the ugly duckling!!
note that "masculine" in many cases means being your natural self. for example, not shaving, not wearing makeup, having a practical haircut, wearing practical clothes, etc. it makes no sense for this to be considered "masculine."
empress yeah I don’t think Sandra bullocks character was “masculine” per say, she was her natural self in a male dominated profession
THANK YOU 👏👏👏
This... Blew my mind.
no, there's a difference between "hairy" and being a masculine woman on the gender spectrum.
For a man to be feminine, it's about being himself, a homeless bum in his parents basement playing video games, not shaving and complaining women don't want him because he's too fat and is scared of the gym. Do you want such a man? Effort to be attractive to men = you can get a man who puts equal effort to be attractive to women
i hate how curly hair is seen as ugly. i’ve always felt pressured to straighten mine to fit a beauty standard.
Yessss I think is ridiculous, curly hair is BEAUTIFUL
My mom has been trying to get me to straighten my hair and dress less alt for ages to make me more attractive to guys. Now I have a bf who loves my hair and how I dress. (And even if I didn't, I look cool af. Not changing any time soon.)
X2 I have curly hair and I currently love it but at the same time I feel more "polished" when I straight it
I got mine permanently straightened. I love curly hair texture but you have to admit it’s a stubborn pain in the ass to handle
Nah girl don't let movies fool you, curly hair is gorgeous, you have no idea how many of us wish we could have curly hair😭🥲
It’s sad that what tennage movies portrait as “ugly” is glasses, braces, acne, and an not “well developed body” wich are things that most of the tennage girls have so it makes us feel insecure ;;
What’s even more funny is that I’ve heard real life stories of girly women not being respected in the workplace etc its like women cant win it doesn’t matter if you embrace the feminine or the masculine side it seems like there’s always something women arent doing and it’s annoying
Yes, I've kind of only recently realised that being girly isn't 'uncool', and a woman who wears loads of pink and glitter, for example, has every right to be a serious - and important - part of the workplace.
I agree it’s hard people will try and bring you down no matter what you do. I was quite a tomboy as and child and then embraced a much more glam feminine look and I will say I was made fun of a lot more by both men and women for being more “feminine” :/
Non-binary people: I see this as an absolute win.
yes!! 💯
YESSS thank you! the older ive gotten i’ve been shammed for being too girly bc it’s too “shallow”. and if i do anything related to “boyish” things, im a pick-me girl. NOT EVERYTHING A GIRL DOES IS FOR A BOY’S VALIDATION!
The way The Breakfast Club had Allison transform just to be "accepted" had me raging as a kid lol. I thought her character was SO cool without the transformation. It really sucks that this trend taught us how to perceive ourselves as kids--like we "need" a "glow up."
oh my god totally, i cant even finish the movie because it makes me so angry
Precisely, even her actress, Ally Sheedy, has stated that she's not a fan of her on screen makeover, and liked the way that Allison initially looked. The message was that Allison was removing her many layers and concealing hairstyle, and allowing the others to see the "Real Her", but maybe they overdid it slightly with the white shirt and the hairband.
THE WORST ONE
Same!!!
Right? And she pretty much loses her entire personality along with her former look. It makes no sense and is so damaging
That snippet of Zendaya getting a Eurocentric look was honestly terrifying
I physically cringed
She looked so distorted after. It was disturbing.
The after looks like an alien
maybe thats the point, to show that facial beauty has nothing to do with having proportionate or symmetrical features.
what time was it pls
One movie moment that has stuck with me for years and really helped my mindset growing up is actually a scene from Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs. In it, the female character of Sam is a typical portrayal of an "attractive" woman with perfectly done hair that is never put up, makeup, and contacts instead of glasses. It is revealed that she was actually pressured into presenting herself le that because it was seen as less attractive, and was attached to her nerdy personality which she was bullied for and also seen as unattractive. While she personally prefers glasses and keeping her hair in a ponytail, she feels like she can't because of the shame she feels in her identity and Intelligence. Near the end of the movie, she puts her glasses back on and wears her hair up, and Flint is taken away by the change in her looks. He actually prefers her that way, not only because he's also a nerd and is more drawn to that sort of look, but because he knows that it represents Sam's true personality. It completely flips the trope on its head, which I really appreciate. The film does rely on a lot of "nerd" stereotypes but it also puts them in a good light, and shows that it's not bad to be a nerd. It also shows that being a "nerdy" girl does not make you ugly, since Sam has always been attractive looking and there was already a shared connection with her and Flint prior to the makeover moment.
That's literally the only example in all of film and TV where the makeover was "reversed".
Agree! But I don't remember her wearing contacts? There was actually a scene where you see through her eyes and everything looks blurry and distorted (making flint look like the Chad meme)
in the second movie I think she gets contacts, but keeps the ponytail (could be it's the other way around tho Idk)
"Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs" is a true gem, that movie was amazing
I remember this!! It stuck with me as a kid i loved that scene so much she is honestly so great.
Maybe Mulan?
Cuts her hair, leaves her woman clothes behind takes on her fathers armor and joins an army full of men.
I didn't watch the movie, but it feels like only a partial reversion, since her transformation is still seem through a man's eyes?
AAAHHH!! I’m just remembering that Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs scene where Sam is “prettier” because her hair gets tied back and she put her glasses back on!!! But I guess animated films might not count for much.
I loved that part
I was literally thinking about that before i saw this comment
yesss i loved that!
I think it does count cuz the younger generation will see that and take in the message that not everyone's pretty is the same
Yesssd
“How many times do we have characters going from contact lenses to glasses?”
This is gonna sound REALLY stupid at first, but legit the only movie I’ve ever seen where the female character ended up doing a “reverse glow up” was in Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. She basically forced herself to look good in order to get a job as a reporter, but at the end she realized she wasn’t happy and changed her appearance to her comfort level.
And it’s honestly kinda depressing that that’s the only movie I’ve ever really seen that in (maybe Shrek but that’s a whole other analysis). I’m fortunate enough to never have had negativity surrounding my appearance (especially since I am someone who’s kinda messing, mostly wears sweats, and wears glasses) but I know sooo many girls that do and stuff like this really normalizes this. Hopefully we can start to move away from this sooner rather than later.
OMG EXACTLY as a child and still tbh in these movies the main girl wears glasses and in the make over they remove the glasses. As in "glasses are ugly". 😔it hurts a lot like there is never a main character with glasses that is pretty and not a "nerd" 😒 like thats bs just because you wear glasses your a nerd
Yes, I don't mind wearing my own glasses, but a lot of shows and movies enforce that being a nerd is "uncool" or "freaky." Luckily, it's becoming more cool to be smart! 🤓💖📚
@@trinaq ikr
agreed. as someone who grew up being bullied because of my glasses I was kinda pissed when the hipster style became popular and the same girls who laughed at me started wearing big lenseless frames.
Plus the only other time I've seen the 'glow down' was that one episode of Criminal Minds where Garcia tried to replace JJ and changed from her colourful outfits to a grey suit and put on contact lenses and then when she couldn't cope with her work-load Morgan was like ' You need to go original Garcia' and threw out her lenses and gave her her glasses back.
Ikr, like I wear contacts but sometimes I just want my big frames with photo chromic lenses without dealing with the nerd part of it. Not that that’s really a problem anymore, especially bc now that it’s coming into style 🙄
I'd love it if there was an scene or movie that's like: "hey, this glasses are a little bit outdated, what about you try this modern ones instead?"
"These frames are much more flattering on you!"
Everyone ever trying to choose sunglasses would be making careful face-shape=type-shades notes during any such scene. xD
Yes!! Or like “your curly hair is looking a little frizzy. let’s try to spruce them up with some proper styling or a deep condition”
'Yo soy Betty la fea' the OG colombian version of Ugly Betty did that! And her glow up was gradual and was made to feel that it was for herself, if you want to check it out I highly recommend it! (Has a lot of sexism and things that haven't aged well but it is still very funny and enjoyable.)
@@Aleexv33 oh, so that's why they did that in ugly Betty !
I remember watching one of those reality makeover shows years back. There was this BEAUTIFUL redhead firefighter, who didn't wear any makeup, but was super strong and fit enough to work with her male counterparts. The guys she worked with called the makeover show to get her on, because apparently she wasn't feminine enough, even though she was risking her life on the daily to save others. The first time I saw her, I thought she was SO beautiful just the way she was, and was actually jealous of how fit and perfect she was without any makeup or anything. I always felt like I had to wear makeup and dress up to look nice (and still do), so when I saw her, I had the desire to be like that. But then she had her "makeover" and they completely changed everything about her. They died her beautiful red hair blonde, put her in makeup and gave her a new wardrobe, and honestly, it did not suit her at all. All the guys thought she looked so hot, but she was already beautiful the way she was, and she didn't have to change a thing. The only good thing I can say about that episode is it gave me a new perspective of beauty.
Awful change :(
Name of the show? 😊
Was it nessesary to change her hair??? Red hair is so pretty.... The guys who contacted the show sounds like idiots who only wanted to sexualise her.
Why are those guys forcing her to get a makeover who gave them the audacity, they made her blonde, redhead is beautiful I don’t get why it’s seen as ugly, who cares if guys think she’s hot, you said she’s naturally beautiful as is
Also did anyone else notice how the younger generations nowadays don’t even go through this „ugly duckling“ phase? I feel like they have a big pressure to glow up pretty young because of social media
They start using makeup younger.
My cousin whos almost 8 is OBSESSED with makeup esp lipstick since she was 4 yo...
bruh im 14 and literally going through an ugly duckling faze im not ugly just in the middle of growing out a bob, wearing braces and glasses and experimenting with fashion. just makes me a bit depressed when there are girls my age out there looking 20 but at the end of the day (really not trying to come across as arrogant i've actually been bullied my entire life for being nerdy) i have the typical model face and high cheekbones and im tall slim etc so i am holding out with the bullying just so it will be satisfying when i glow up and they will not even recognise me 😂😂
ok thanks for coming to my ted talk
update: lol things do get better!! i have finally grown out my hair and ive had it cut, ive started wearing contacts and now ive even found my style!! i also get my braces off in november so i think once i get them off i will start applying to some agencies - trust me guys it does get better keep holding on and wish me luck x
Some of them go through that phase. Usually those who are not comfortable with the highly sexualized clothes. Thirteen-year-olds can choose from the latest trends, crop tops, skinny jeans etc and they'll get cat called or worse, or they can wear childish clothes and get bullied or they just become ugly ducklings and get bullied. I know I exaggerated a little bit...
Yup I have a younger friend that looks like that aesthetic girls(?) She looks cute but kinda makes it her whole personality and value (being pretty/well dressed up) and I feel sad for her..
I hate when people say that children received a “glow up” throughout puberty, like uh no, they just GREW UP. Kids dress bad, but they’re frickin adorable. Please stop.
I actually find kids that dress like their age appropriate.
(Idrk why I suddenly remember this after reading the comments, also sorry for rambling)
I remember during Secondary/High school: Donald Trump was made fun of for being 'orange', right? And how contouring suddenly had a boom on make-up videos (because apparently ppl didn't understand how shadows and lights work - idk, the boom was a little too big wasn't it??)
So I remember randomly just listening to ppl talk, and then ppl talking about ppl wearing fake tans and stuff - I thought "ppl aren't stupid enough to do that".........whenever I thought sth along the lines of that, I'd see girls caked in make-up (that, to me, wasn't even good) w/ rly dark/exaggerated contour lines, and sometimes, their skin literally looks orange......like...I don't know how fake tans worked, but couldn't you make it a lighter layer??
{In terms of fashion, I mean we wore uniforms so I can't tell unless I randomly saw them in the street; oh, I remember my friend just seemed to randomly say "her skirt is so short, I literally saw her butt; she's doing it (bending over the table or sth) on purpose";; in terms of 'age appropriate' there's also the occasional ppl who fall on the opposite end of the spectrum and seem to dress more childish than their age.....this reminds me that a girl randomly had a dummy/pacifier for like a few months or sth - like it wasn't candy, but an actual baby's dummy/pacifier (it also seemed to randomly stopped so I couldn't tell if it's because of some kind of OCD or they just randomly decided that they wanted to suck on a dummy/pacifier)}
It especially builds on the 'white' stereotypes, because the ppl of other ethnicities don't seem to take it that far [unfortunately some ppl take it too far in terms of other things that also build upon stereotypes tho] - as a person who doesn't rly like make-up and fashion, it's weird how easy it is to tell between ppl who are pros, ppl who are good at it, ppl who just seem to want to use/wear it, and those who just seem to blindly follow the trends - like they're rly pretty ppl [my views on appearances seem to range between 'that's not pretty?/that's ugly?/that's a common face?' to 'that's just following "toxic" beauty standards' - but I honestly think that they had rly beautiful faces] - I just don't understand why they chose to do those things + personality-wise they were the 'extroverted' 'popular' ppl [not everyone knew who everyone was, but I feel like everyone was pretty standardly 'popular' since everyone seemed to know everyone, so maybe they weren't *popular* , but had popular vibes?? Idk what I'm talking about at this point....]
@@606aichan7O7 what are you yrying to get at? i just read your entire monologue but i dont get what youre trying to convey
@@wqfflesyrup8740 well, I did say I was rambling, so basically I was just spouting a bunch of stuff for the sake of putting words down somewhere
[Tbh I find it kinda strange that some ppl actually decided to read all that 'cuz I usually don't read it again after the first couple times to spell-check etc.]
I guess overall, I just wanted to say I found it strange how obsessed some ppl can be w/ following trends??
(and how weird I thought it was, especially since it's usually the younger ppl, and ppl don't seem to....learn from other's mistakes and others don't kindly teach them when that happens either, I guess???)
Plus kids shouldn't be viewed through a lens of "are they attractive (or unattractive)" to begin with.
A related trope that also bothers me is the "beauty and the beast" relationship. A conventionally unattractive person with a lovely personality gets into a relationship with a beautiful person who sees past their exterior and loves them for who they are. Great huh? Except the "beauty" is always a woman and the "beast" is always a man, indicating that beauty is still a woman's most important trait whereas men can get away with being physically unattractive because they have other desirable qualities. How often do you see movies where a conventionally unattractive woman gets with a beautiful man, without going through any beauty transformation, simply because the man loves her personality and doesn't care about her looks? Exactly.
I saw something about that, the creatures trope where it's always human women with male monsters and never the other way around.
@@rokia7334 Noo, how about 'Kimi ni Todoke' or 'Say I Love You'? These are anime where the guy is the 'beautiful' one, whereas the girl is unpopular and deemed undesirable. The men in these anime love them for their personalities and both of these men have amazing personalities.
@@rokia7334 Hahaa, yea, I thought of those of the top of my head since they're fairly popular. I guess you're right, since they're so popular for a reason. And also I think that the romanticisation of sexual assault is mostly in manga.
I think True Beauty is kinda aligned with this rn. The main lead(s) know how the main heroine looks like, even without the make up. But even with that, they still love her for who she is, so that webcomic/kdrama is a breath of fresh air for me. ❤️ And I think even the main heroine is in the process of learning how to love herself for who she is (I haven't read past chapter 120+ so idk what's gonna happen next)! It's quite good, imo so do check it out if you want to. ✨
@@starletchii Yup, you're completely right! I'm reading it too, and it's tackling these kind of subject really well.
THANK YOU for talking about how much masculine women are pressured into being feminine, I'm so so tired of people complaining about how we don't have media examples of 'women who are strong and feminine' when that's like every movie with a female lead, and I can think of like two examples of masculine women who aren't given a makeover or have their masculinity related to some flaw (meanness, comic relief, bitterness, etc). Even when a character is a 'girl next door' type or a warrior they always have perfect hair and makeup and clothes and fight in heels.
Like, I get it, I'm unattractive to men so I don't get to exist in a positive light
This. And they'll always throw Legally Blonde at you because "feminine women aren't taken seriously". Yet how many examples do we actually have of GNC or masculine women in lead roles? In the example of Miss Congeniality (?) shown in the video (I know she isn't really masculine either, but I think it proves a point), her male colleagues have no problems disrespecting her before her makeover in ways they would never disrespect another man. They don't actually see her as not a woman because she doesn't conform strictly to femininity, they see her as an unattractive woman to them, and therefore as a laughing stock and of no value to them (because they're sexists who think that's where a woman's worth lies). After her makeover she's not exactly more respected, but because she's now conforming to what they want her to be she's suddenly worthy of slightly better treatment. Femininity isn't respected, but it certainly isn't the basis of disrespect. Being a woman is the basis of disrespect, and femininity is something we're expected to conform to. Be yourself always queen!
YESSSS
It’s a loss loss either way: feminine women may be more “socially acceptable”; but people still do not take them seriously(there are movies about this). However, masculine women are constantly belittled for not being a “real” women and put down emotionally. At this point I just think society hates women.
@@myasmith1820 And that, my friend, is why misogyny is real
@@zigzaglychee7324 I never watched the first Miss Congeniality, but I watched the second movie and at the end she reverts back to her old self and I thought that was really cool :)
God I HATED when Allison got a makeover in breakfast club, I liked her with her all black wardrobe and dark makeup
I don’t think that was *completely* meant as a trope tho. I think it was implying that Allison realized she doesn’t need to be angry all the time and that to be soft and vulnerable to the public eye is okay and not a problem. And they used her appearance to demonstrate that. However I did hate that they showed the guys reaction first. This should’ve been a moment for Allison and only about Allison.
I think the actresses has said she hated it too it was so pointless
She was cuter with the dark makeup AHH
i extremely identify with Allison and I always wanted a boyfriend like the sports guy (andy?) I have been and continue to be an angry and hostile person, and I also feel terrible when I'm excluded and I tend to constantly want to overshare if I feel like everyone else is getting their turn (remember that purse scene? ugh. me.) But... I still dress in black t-shirts and jeans and dark eyeshadow and my big winter coat all the time. Putting me in pink and coral lipstick would make me extremely uncomfortable, not "more open to being vulnerable." My current boyfriend, who is extremely lovely, has been helping me to learn how to be less angry and defensive all the time, and guess what. He thinks I'm extremely sexy in my black t-shirts and my jeans. Looks don't matter, substance does.
agreed, was pissed
the funny thing is thick brows, big lips, braces, feline eyes, thick bodies, freckles and glasses are now in fashion, it changes so fast
Right?? It’s all so fickle
Yes! It sucks that body types are treated like fashion trends.
So true. All that effort, tears, time, and money for nothing.
also the video on pretty privilege by khadija mbowe is good at covering some of this stuff
Exactly
I also really hate the trope of traditionally feminine girls looking down on more tomboyish girls and tomboyish girls looking down on more traditionally feminine girls. Like, both are completely valid forms of presentation and self expression! I would love to see a cute movie of two girls who present differently and have wildly different interests but still support each other anyway and don't try to change each other. Also, the patriarchy will not hesitate to tear women down regardless of how they dress - so you might as well dress how you feel like dressing and let other women dress how they'd like to!
it is just all this dumb competition between women and girls that media is so fond of 🙄
Ugh yes. I feel like early 2000s movies are somewhat responsible for the "I'm not like other girls" epidemic. They teach young, often tomboyish Women who feel ostracized that the enemy is traditionally feminine women. I'm so down for a movie like the one you described, it would be so refreshing to see!
PERIOD
I’ve been watching Rizzoli and Isles lately and they’re exactly that. Tomboy Jane the homicide detective and Feminine Dr. isles the rich well dressed and girly chief medical examiner. It’s great. If you haven’t seen it yet it’s on Hulu now
That probably caused the not like other girls epidemic too, making tomboyish girls to feel the need to separate from femininity entirely since what was presented to them about it was bad. This also made the stereotype that feminine girls are b*tches or wh**es which definitely isn’t good either
the cinderella comparison doesnt sit right with me, that transformation was more about the fact that she has a new dress (that was destroyed by her stepsisters) and can because of this go to the ball and not even because she wants to dance with the prince, she just wants to escape this abusive household
also, she doesn't have to become beautiful to get with the prince. When he finally finds her, she's in rags but he still recognises her anyway.
I agree. Cinderella's transformation was for her happiness and an opportunity to change her life for the better.
Uhh…. Let’s be honest here.. she was already beautiful and drawn with pretty fem features with small dainty feet which is traditionally fem. Her glow up may not be as drastic but still objectified, still has the male gaze scene, validation from the prince, and a rich male savior.
@@VivalaVeevee HERE YALL NEED TO WATCH THIS ua-cam.com/video/huLSdm6IH0g/v-deo.html
my point stands, she didnt even know there was a prince lmfao, she just wanted to GO TO THE BALL BRUH
I left my own comment but also Now Voyager is about a woman who's abused and controlled by her mother. Not allowed to grow or be independent. It's not an ugly spinster gets hot narrative.
I feel like Shrek did it right with Fionna's transformation
shrek is like the best movie ever
Shrek does everything right
@@MissTsoisauce Actually, Shrek took the potion because he thought that's what Fiona wanted for herself and for him. At the end of the first movie when the spell breaks she thought she'd be a princess again and went "I thought I'd be beautiful" and Shrek says "You are beautiful". And he takes the potion in the second film because he's rejected by Fiona's family and he finds her diary saying she wanted a princes charming. He does it all for her.
my animator teacher pointed out that she has to be be “ugly” to marry someone whose also “ugly.” He said it would’ve made more sense to still love him if she stayed a human... but either way she has to change based on the man she marries?
@@haleymitchell1371 If she had stayed human it would have gone back to the "the woman always has to be the beauty in the beauty and the beast trope " trouble
It's interesting how the ugly duckling trope also coincides with the "I'm not like other girls trope" of the 90s and early 2000s. Like on one hand, only girlie girls are considered datable and worthy of getting the guy but then on the other, we praise the "tomboy" or the "nerdy" type and often pit her against the girlie girl and SHE ends up getting the guy in the end. Examples I always think of are "10 things I hate about you" and "a cinderella story". It's almost like women can never win. /s lol
Also Mean Girls was ahead of it's time. ALL women are amazing and we are not each other's competition.
Now that I think about it, it also coincides with slut-shaming too. The girlie-girls who are generally more promiscuous never end up with the guy. It teaches female viewers that we can't express our sexuality through clothing AND settle down with a guy. It's always the innocent girl who ends up in a relationship (even if the girlie-girl also wants to be in one). Neither the 'tomboy' or the 'girlie-girl' are respected fully by the male characters. The tomboy is smart, but not attractive enough to be respected. And the girlie-girl is attractive, but not innocent enough to be respected. You're so right, we just can't win!
@@hannaheve868 yes!!!!
I am not even sure it is slut-shaming. Suppose you are an average girl - no pageant queen, and no classic tomboy either. And you are in High School. You always get the feeling (at least I did) that the pageant queen girls have way more chances with boys than you ever will, *and* that they look down on you for it. And some of them (not all of them) do. So I guess what some of these makeover movies do is let you feel that they, too, will lose once. It is more of a revenge fantasy than anything else.
We just can’t win. But I just feel like some girls do.
Yep they seem to be two sides of the same shitty coin.
The worst part of the strong hate for the curly style is they always seem to cast actresses who don't even have natural curls themselves and purposely put them in the rattiest lookin curl style possibly. So real curly hair girls of any curl pattern are rarely ever represented on screen in a positive light. Not as main characters very much, mainly side characters.
Agreed. I have 2c/3a hair (so like wavy/curly, it depends on the part of my head tbh) and I've never seen my kind of hair or anything beyond that represented in these movies. I wish that instead of just straightening the hair in the movie (I did it daily for 3 years straight, it's not sustainable), they taught the protagonist how to take care of their hair. It's more sustainable for the character and sends a better message to the viewers.
Ikr, like at least provide a polished curly wig. 💀
Yes!! I hated my hair growing up due to the media, haven't straightened my hair now in like 3 years and I love my hair
Yesss!! I would love to see someone being taught to take care of their hair or getting a more suiting hair cut inatead of just straightening...
Except for "Pretty Woman". Went from straight wig to natural beautiful curly hair! And even red hair! 😍
As a butch woman, I can say that there's also this weird idea that masculine women must hate themselves or not care about themselves or TAKE care of themselves, or that they must hate other women. and I see this kind of thing touted by pretty progressive women (seen a lot of totally harmless baby butches called Pick Me girls for example, like they must hate other women to be dressing how they are), like this idea that women must embrace and embody conventional femininity to be healthy or happy or progressive is REALLY wide spread and insidious.
And I've found many women really unwilling to acknowledge this; start any discussion about the ways in which masc women are treated and the topic is almost always instantly flipped to "well people shit on feminine women too". Like people really, actually embracing and accepting and defending female masculinity (and I don't mean the "Hollywood acceptable still mostly conventionally attractive kind) is REALLY really rare.
Yeah that weord discourse of feminists hating people who do or don't fit gender roles needs to stop, the point isn't don't fit into gender roles it's stop demanding people fit into them.
Very true, well said
frog in username .. do you perhaps like iced coffee, maybe even girl in red 🕵️
@@gravy5796 I'm sorry I don't know what this means 😩 I picked this username in like, middle school because I thought it was cute and I just never bothered to change it
I don't particularly like iced coffee & I don't know what girl in red is I'm sorry!
Truth!!!!!
Why is CURLY HAIR and GLASSES “ugly” on women? But when guys have this it’s supposedly attractive?!
Cause I’m society’s eyes women are just meant to be soft and perfect and pretty. Why else do you think men can go around being hairy whilst a woman having hair is deemed as ugly.
@@semolinalibra Yo, have you ever seen a guy who's never shaved ever? It's pretty gross, even in 'society's eyes.'
@@bro748 There’s a difference between hygienic grooming and shaving and waving yourself to the point where you end up looking prepubescent, don’t be stupid.
You’re right!!! I have curly hair and I’ve never seen a movie where a guy with curly hair straightens it. These movies did kinda mess me up as a girl with curly hair and hairy eyebrows.
i like TYPES of glasses
As a black woman with 4c hair and glasses since first grade, these montages are equal parts sugar and poison.
it's like yeah i get it i'm terrifyingly ugly.... thanks.
Same but I got glasses in 5th grade. My teacher constantly called my parents because it annoyed her how much I squinted 😂
🙌🏾
Tbh just being a black girl & watching these movies period is lowkey highkey violence because we’re not even included or the things we have naturally are the things they are using as the “ugly” standard
Same I’m white passing tho so I feel like if anyone where to see me with my natural hair down they’d be equally shocked and confused. Doesn’t help that pale is considered ugly either I literally look kinda like Anne Hathaway in the before but with a flatter nose and blue eyes, it sucks man
I’ve always hated this trope because the “before” is still pretty! They all have perfect skin, well cared for hair, and bodies that are considered beautiful. Not only is the “after” often very similar, but we never get any imperfect people in these roles.
It's why Devil Wears Prada makes me so uncomfortable the way they talk about Andi's weight. She is still clearly conventionally thin, but there an endless parade of fat jokes in the first half of the movie. Which I know is supposed to show how shitty the fashion world is in regards to that, but still.
Because no one would watch an unattractive woman on TV
@@NoName-mm6gh sure they would
This isn't to say she's ever unattractive, but in the movie strictly ballroom, the female lead "before" doesn't have perfect skin which I remember being so surprised to see. Acne is totally natural and not something that should be judged regardless, but it was still kind of nice just to see it shown in a movie as most "before"s tend to already conform to unrealistic standards
You might appreciate this scene from Not Another Teen Movie where pretty ugly girl Janie Briggs is chosen as a challenge for the jock to turn her into prom queen. "Nooo! She's got glasses and a ponytail."
ua-cam.com/video/CXYlv-z_xHQ/v-deo.html
I think what's also left out of these ugly duckling makeovers in movies is that in the actual story, the ugly duckling was actually just a misplaced, possibly average-looking swan and not actually an ugly baby duck. There was no real makeover, the swan just naturally grew up and become more recognizably a different type of bird than its adoptive family. The Ugly Duckling had no actual ugly ducks involved!
Yes! The ugly duckling story was always about the character realizing he isn't ugly at all without changing anything about himself.
@@hyperfocus1963bingo
It’s interesting that this movie is portraying tomboyish women as “not fully developed” because I felt I’ve noticed the opposite sentiments; where femininity is seen as immature (“girly”), especially unprofessional, and is not to be taken seriously.
I think the tragedy is in the perceived discrepancy between being fully developed for marriage and motherhood and being fully developed for professional roles. For some people, a perfect bride/mother cannot look the same as a perfect professional, and especially not anyone wise and important (think professor, politician, clergyperson, doctor) or not anyone in traditionally-male field (think police officer, pilot, even programmer). If that's the case, they cannot be the same person, right?
I think women who are more masculine are seen as "ah, tomboyish, wild and immature" and women who are seen as more feminine are seen as "oh, pink and sparkles, how childish."
So then literally no one takes women seriously.
I don't care, I've been a tomboy all my life and do that as a way to NOT be sexualized. Loose clothing, no makeup, plain hair. I don't care if people think I look "immature". That's ME. Jeans and a ponytail and t-shirts. Some men are gonna sexualize you no matter WHAT you wear, so I might as well be comfy.
Feminity is taken seriously and seen as mature, but only when it is paired to the femme fatale trope. And so is the tomboyish women but only if it pairs with the "strong warrior woman" trope.
That's weird.
my father constantly threatens that I may not get a job over my appearance, so I wouldn't exactly say that female masculinity is THAT embraced
It really bothered me when I first watched The Princess Diaries that her “before” look was considered “ugly” and “sloppy” because I looked like her...
I watched the movie recently for the first time and the makeover ruined it for me completely. I wear glasses too and I was practically screaming at the screen, like, leave the girl alone and let her find her style (or not if she doesn't care)
@@mer_acle8101 also, she’s kinda awkward (before and after the makeover) but how is the before look any bad?? She looks like a pretty teenager and they make it seem like she’s weird in some way? In the books it makes more sense because she’s described as being super tall , having no boobs , large feet and unkept hair, all which can be seen as being negative for girls. In the movie she’s Anne Hathaway in glasses lol
The same for me, I have the same physical traits as her before the transformation and I almost cried when I watched that scene, I was 7 years old.
Jeeeze this was me too with Big Fat Greek Wedding with the scenes when she was younger! Big hair, glasses. I remember we were watching it together and my family said “hey she looks like Liz”
Yeah, I have a less dense version of her hair, so seeing that movie really messed with my self-image. I straightened my hair every day for 3 years, but eventually I realized I was doing more damage and that I was miserable. Grew my hair out for a few years and I embraced my natural hair.
My english class was talking about movie tropes and my teacher bought up this one and how messed up it is. She used a movie as an example where a guy claims he can make the school's ugliest most unpopular girl the prom queen. I bought up how I was reading a story where it was the same concept, from the girl's perspective, and the story was about how she was literally being mentally abused.
It's toxic, romanticized unhealthy body image, and fvcking dangerous
Edit: The movie was She's All That
Which book ?
She’s all that is the movie
Lmao i saw the same concept on a pinoy movie
@LeeAnn Hawkins exactly lmao the liza soberano and enrique gil movie
@LeeAnn Hawkins
It wasn't Carrie. I forgot the movie's name, but it get parodied by Not Another Teen Movie (I think that was the name f the parody) in scene where the girl comes down the stairs in a red dress.
Thank you for mentioning Grease. Everyone thinks I’m crazy because I think it’s the absolute worse movie for girls to watch.
There’s nothing like completely changing yourself for guy who treats you like crap and lies about you. 🙄
Ikr
Although it is one of the few examples a girl going from straight hair to curly hair for a makeover... so silver linings I guess? :/
ik!!! it's such a sexist movie, and i so rarely see anyone bring it up
@@blkloislane you’d think so, but they are associating curly hair with rebellion and counter culture. Look at the rest of her outfit. She’s going from innocent and pure to reckless. It’s not a positive association for curly hair.
@@cianatancrelleart when you put it that way, yeah, not so progressive.
I would love to see a version of this where a girl who feels pressured into being girlie gets a makeover to be the masculine woman she's always wanted to be
It's not the same but Bend it like Beckham follows that theme and it's one of my most favorite movie.
@NightRider um have you seen jawbreaker it’s pretty close
@NightRider cady heron and tai are like the lite version of this haha
@@internetexplorer6304 kat from euphoria says “(...) There's nothing more powerful than a fat girl who doesn't give a fuck.“ and i loved the show for that scene
Or a trans woman who finally comes to terms with who she is and begins being the woman she always had to hide.
I literally never noticed that in these makeover montages the camera always pans back to the man, I didn’t realise the significance of these montages thanks for opening my eyes
Dude it made me so uncomfortable as a child and teen how men will always made comments about my looks, some men see those movies and take it all literally 🙄
Ugh the princess diaries messed up so many of my friends with glasses and curly hair :’(
exactly what I always thought when watching these movies :( there is nothing wrong or ugly with curly hair and glasses and they are beautiful
I wish they just brushed her hair out more and made it more neat instead of straightening it
@@marieremelie6716 right? Or they could have done a gorgeous curly hair look! 🥺❤️
Or thick eyebrows
@@AngelTrazo yes! They could've just styled her curly hair differently
You made some brilliant points here; allow me to make one more. Makeover scenes usually imply that changing one's image is a one-and-done kind of scenario; nobody ever talks about how when you want to do something with your hair/makeup/clothes/body shape those things take maintenance. To maintain an appearance you've got to commit to it so it's implied through these scenes that these characters are changing their lifestyles completely.
oh, but don't forget (sarcasm incoming): girls who don't spend time on their appearance are just too lazy to put in the effort
you're very quickly becoming my favourite channel im obsessed
An icon
This woman (Mina Le) is poison, but you cannot see it. Her feminist ideology may sound appealing but it results in a life of sorrow.
@@wordsofcheresie936 what do you mean?
@@lilbean2330 One of the main theories that she pushes is objectification. This concept has been used by feminism to create animosity between men and women resulting in damaged relationships and tragic unhappiness. I don't have time to go into why objectification theory is so wrong, but if you want to know, look up the many criticism of this theory.
@@wordsofcheresie936 I hate to ask, but you could you tell my your opinion? I would love to have a healthy debate lol. I always was a little confused whenever people used objectification as a pint whenever it comes to movies, so I would love to hear your thoughts 🤗
I literally love legally blonde so much because it taught me that I could be feminine. Like a lot of girls I went that through that whole I’m a tomboy boy/ not like other girls thing and it’s sad to reflect on tbh. I really felt like I couldn’t like pink and be smart or I couldn’t like glitter and be good at sports when that’s literally not the case. Legally blonde was the first example I saw where her femininity wasn’t a handicap
When she says "I'm never going to be good enough for you, am I?" was the first time I realized that it doesn't matter if we women are feminine or masculine or beautiful or "ugly". Our society will criticize us for one thing or another so might as well do you.
same its one of my favorite movies, from the plot to the clothes to the message it sends out. that movie is literally gold
I am a classical tomboy and always loved Legally Blonde because the protagonist sees what she wants and goes out to get it. Ok, first she wants the guy (bad idea with this guy), but anyway, she does what she thinks will give her a chance.
And then she actually likes law school and excells - but without ever changing who she is! And when that asshole professor gropes her, she calls him out on it!
And, probably more important, she is kind to just about everyone!
As I said, I am a total tomboy, but she really worked as someone to aspire to for me (I was a teenager when the first movie came out).
Yessssssss I think the queens gambit it's something like that, she's glamorous but at the same time she's talented and respected
You should watch Coyote Ugly to feel better about being a girl that likes sparkles and sports lol
What's weird is that the ugly duckling tale is actually about the duckling being ridiculed by the other ducks for being different because he is in fact a swan and in the end he doesn't have to change to be accepted, he just has to find his own family/tribe. I don't think the story is about transformation at all, but about fitting in with someone's own group of people.
Wow, I never viewed it like that before. This perspective is more accurate and justified. Thanks for this 💓
And they literally made that narrative become the tale of changing yourself completly just so you fit into the crowd '-'
that is so beautiful
I came into the comment section to say the same thing!
It's kind of 'found family' story more than a transformation story :)
I find the ugly duckling is also about being on your own phase, the little "duck" was being called "ugly" because they have no idea that it will transform while the other ducks have transformed at that age. I know it sounds weird to say and idk if you understand it but for me, it also being shine at your own phase. The duck has their phase and the swan has their own so it's not fair to mock people appearance or even their achievement just because you've ahead or already on stage that you are comfortable to be yourself.
What's also interesting is what we perceive as feminine vs masculine - sometimes a tomboy or a masculine or an unfeminine woman is a woman who just is - whose appearance is not in any way shaped or embellished. Why is it that men are allowed to get out of the shower, put on a graphic tee and slacks, no shaving no skincare no makeup no styling no nails no accessories and be taken as put together and developed, but when we do it we're lazy or frumpy or unfeminine. Why is masculinity supposedly natural and femininity performative? I mean we know why but yeah. Sometimes these women aren't tomboys they're just people who don't feel like performing womanhood in order to be perceived as properly objectifiable.
Very true! Doing femininity right seems so time and money consuming. Make up consisting of many different products for the face, eyes, lips, hair dyes and styling products, shaving often and everywhere, nail polish... I don't see myself as a tomboy, I actually like some types of feminine clothing but I also don't want to spend so much time and money grooming my appearance.
THIS.
@@Melian07 same
I think the thing I wish these movies did, was portray these glow ups as girls taking care of themselves if they were neglecting themselves before. Girls having the confidence to wear clothes they wanted to wear, not wearing what's on trend. They all transform into one specific type of eurocentric beauty standard woman, instead of actually becoming confident versions of themselves which just sucks.
YES!
Okay. That is totally respectable. But what part of Miss Congeniality isn't exactly what you just said? We see her COMPLETELY reject her own femininity after a traumatic experience. We see her alone in her apartment warming up frozen dinners dinners, with a boxing bag as her only companion and distraction. She is a total slob that has neglected her health and wellbeing, and it just so happens to show in a physical way. When her coach talks about "have you no pride in your presentation?", it's not a comment on her career choice or personal interests, it's a comment on her utter neglect to herself! The only thing that changes about her in the end is that she finally owns a brush and washes her hair and allows herself to wear some light make-up, and a newfound respect for girly girls who actually have a brain and a heart. Where's the harm in that? I've always found it very inspiring to career women who have internalized misogyny.
@@guesswho5790 theres nothing in miss congeniality that suggests the female lead rejects her femininity as a response to trauma. She may have been just as masculine before. It is more accurate to say that she never understood the meaning of femininity or the friendship of sisterhood until she was forced into it.
@@guesswho5790 actually her "glow up" is more detrimental to her health and wellbeing than her "before" life. Don't you remember her complaining about being sleep deprived and starved during the make over? I clearly remember she skipped a few nights sleep, quite a lot of meals, the makeover boss taking away food and sweets and scolding every time she tried to eat...Not sleeping for days and skipping meals is waaaaay worse than a happy life in her flat with regular (frozen, yes, but better than starving) meals and favourite sport. I don't remember if in the very very very end she decided for light makeup as you say, but her makeover was not "owning a brush and washing her hair", it was a obsessive change of every aspect of her look done against her preferences. And also, the "before" look wasn't slob nor neglected, she had a normal hygiene (even if the plot tried to cling to poor table manners and strange laughter to label her as dirty), her clothes were just fine for a workplace. People go to work to actually work, not to be eye candies for colleagues, and no-one has trouble with her male colleagues dressing in a non sexy way? That "she learned to be friendly to girly girls trope" is kinda forced, because most of the time she wasn't accusing the other women to be stupid, she was angry with her colleagues and make over artists and the society for forcing useless beauty standards detrimental to her health and not compatible with her own aesthetic preferences on her, not wanting to be starved and to have every part of your body hair removed against your will is not the same as "hating girly girls"
I feel like Devil wears Prada had exactly this message at the end. Of cours Andy goes by a bottom and a Up period with her feminity, but at the real end of the story, she is not the neglected girl who thinks about girly girls as dumb*ss. Neither the perfectly chic, and beautiful woman she had to be while working for Miranda. She has a simple, but still great, outfit, which just matches her personality. And you feel she is not pressuring herself to always be pretty, but she learnt to embrace her feminity and who she truly wants to dress (I talk about the very last outfit just before the end of the movie)
It was actually a great symbol of the balance we could find between outside pressure, and our own personality.
One thing I appreciated about Clueless is they didn't straighten Ty's hair. And towards the end (at Travis' skateboarding thing), I think Ty found a way of dressing that was more stylish while still comfortable for her (excluding the wedding scene, cause she needed a more formal look)
Yeah, I was confused by Mina saying that Ty hadn’t reverted back to her more skater style by using the wedding scene. Deciding to compare a look she’s wearing to a formal event to an everyday school look misrepresents her character arch a bit. The skatepark outfit is a more true representation of her final style.
imo even her skate park outfit is not ***really*** going back to her original style, like if you look at how before her transformation, she wore really baggy clothing. i *could* excuse it, but her final look, which is formal, pushed me over the edge. as a former alternative girl, i would have never worn a dress like that even to a formal event haha
I said this in a separate comment but the irony of Tai is that pre makeover she was actually a more accurate representation of how teenagers were dressing because of the grunge era. Nobody was dressing like Cher and Dionne until after the movie came out
@@ornenow4703 The costume designer for Clueless needs way more credit for how she influenced youth fashion and fashion in general.
@@gremlita She is wearing skate pants and a baby tee- throw on a flannel and it's basically the same clothes. And her formal dress is actually cut similar to like salwar khamees, traditional Indian clothes, I kind of figured she was on that alternative India -wear Gwen Stefani style. I think Tai was using clothes as defensive armor in the beginning due to her toughness and fear of the new school and her character growth synthesizes learning about fashion with her new confidence and openness and her tomboyness.
I never got the inclusion of glasses as part of “ugliness” In so many of these, I look better with my glasses than I do without them
So true, they give my face some structure and conceal the dark shadows under my eyes what more could one want?
I don't need glasses but love them as a fashion accessory lmao I think people just need to get a style of frames that look good on them and adds to their outfit not work against them.
I don't get it either. A pair of ugly glasses or ill-fitting glasses will obviously make you uglier, but a pair of glasses that suits you can make you look better than not wearing them at all.
I've honestly always thought that people with glasses were better looking
thank you so much for including that Breakfast Club clip. No one ever talks about the main misogynist theme, with Judd Nelson treating Milly Ringwald like garbage the entire movie then falling for him??? Or the fact that to get Andy to "notice" her, Allison has to become more feminine. "It's nice to finally see your face" makes me wince every time.
The Bender/Claire thing was abusive. Terrible. However Andrew was noticing Allison before her transformation. Watch it again. Prior to her transformation, he starts glancing at her, sending her looks, trying to work up the nerve to talk to her.
Dude me and my mum started watching that bc it’s a “classic” and we just turned it off because it was soo upsettingly problematic
Honestly allison looked 100000 times better before the transition
@@bellac6311 literally the “after” in this makeover looks like satire, I could not believe they seriously thought she was better looking in this ill-fitting pink outfit. She looked uncomfortable and as though someone had just dressed her like a doll - which I guess is literally what happened. So sad when before she was this super cute (albeit slightly weird lol - what was the food smashing about?) kid
@@anonymmynona8219 I think they were just trying to really drill in that she was "odd" and "weird" with the food smashing, however i watched a video (i'll find the link if ur interested] that looked into the psychologicy behind all her odd behaviour, and said that it was all a cry for help. She was doing it for those around her to ntoice it and go "ew wtf is wrong with her)..attention seeking is first and foremost validation seeking. So if the after in the transformation hadnt looked so fake, itd have meant so much more, because itd be her finally recieving thatvakidation she was going out of her way to seek the rest of the movie. like, maybe they coukdve just changed some parts of her hair and outfit, so that she still looked like her, just a bit more polished? But ig its also her connecting with Clair...like how you humour your friends sometimes and let them give u a makeover.
No matter the reason behind it tho...it still looked shit haha
But like why are glasses "ugly" and "nerdy" we don't chose to wear glasses we need them 😔
Yeah, and I'm allergic to contact lenses.
I don't really get that, like, I wear glasses and I myself don't find them making ppl look ugly or anything, why bad eyesight means "ugly" to you Hollywood ._.
Just a theory, but I believe some of the tropes are based on evolutionary concepts - symmetrical features were generally considered more attractive, but some of the tropes are founded upon the "mate" having a higher probability of survival and/or health when it comes to fertility and chances of successful delivery eg long thick hair (your body had enough nutrition), voluptuous "child bearing" hips (lol), 20/20 eyesight - you (and likely your progeny) will have a higher chance of survival.
Like I said - it's a hypothesis :) I recognize that nowadays many people may not need glasses to live their daily lives, but their vision may need a teensy bit of correction to get to 20/20. While those who wear glasses are more likely to have perfect 20/20 vision (thanks to the glasses of course). So it's probably a trait that should be retired from the list!
Interestingly, even within The Devil Wears Prada, both Gisele Bündchen's character and Miranda Priestly wore glasses (sporadically) and they were ostensibly at the top of their attractiveness game. So I think in modern glow-up stories, switching out from glasses is probably the easiest trick or the low hanging fruit and is probably included to "buff up" the list of transformations. Also, in Japanese anime/manga, you often see a "megane" character who is characterized with wearing glasses and being unusually capable or intelligent (the glasses are the signal of that intellect) - so thankfully other cultures, and some movies within the Western culture are embracing glasses as just that - a tool :)
I find it funny cause I’m pretty sure most people wanted to get glasses to seem cool (or at least that’s how it was with me, getting my vision absolutely wrecked seemed like a positive when I was younger cause I got to wear glasses and I thought it made me look cool 😭)
Honestly, as someone with fine eyesight. I think glasses can look really good and can really be flattering. I love it especially when people use them to emphasise their personal aesthetic.
I just remembered Recess, an aminated disney series, the tomboy gets in a beauty pangeant and undergoes the makeover scene, she looks nice and does great in the contest but in the middle she realizes that just isn't her and goes back to her old style (granted,it´s because of the status quo but is still one of the few examples where the girl learns to be faithful to herself)
Spinelli is iconic.
I remember that episode! I was proud of Spinelli for taking a stand and revealing her true self! If I also remember that the only reason that she was in the beauty pageant in the first place was because the Ashleys were trying to humiliate her!
It makes me sad that they straighten Mia's obviously curly hair instead of teaching her to look after her curls properly
Well....because her curls were real. But I see what you mean. But most of the time curly haired girls want straight hair and straight haired girls want curly hair. Straight haired girl here and I always wanted curly hair. And now in my after 30s life my hair is curling bc of the change in my hormones. But it’s not all over, it’s awesome. I have to braid my hair in sections to make it look even.
@@nekograce7914 the original comment had a point of educating people to embrace what they already have and how to properly care for it.
So this isn’t a case about wanting the opposite of what you have, more so about having straight hair vs. curly. You “learn” to want the opposite things because of toxic beauty standards and these “transformation sequences” do fuel that - especially in younger audiences.
the beauty standards consist traits that are heavily white and associated with whiteness - hence why straight silky hair is seen as regal and appropriate for royalty/anything really while curly hair is seen as unkempt and not fitting for a princess.
@@nekograce7914 i feel like straight hair girls want a different kind of curly hair than what’s real? uhh like they don’t want curly baby hair that’s impossible to control, they don’t want the frizz, etc, like it’s just to be pretty, and curly haired girls just want to be,,, normal? maybe it’s just me because i was singled out for having curly hair and have friends who permed their hair straight just for this. not sure if it’s a universal thing
@@Purpelspy good point, curled and curly aren't the same thing
@@nekograce7914 straight hair girl here and I can relate. My stepsister has curly hair and she always wants to straighten 8t while I'm the opposite. I'm not sad i don't have curly hair I'm happy with long hair as according to people with curly hair its harder to keep it nice and not messy while my hair is so easy to comb and it always looks nice even after sleeping
I love the "glow up" in Legally Blond because her style doesn't change. She sees that the man she likes doesn't take her seriously because of her cute, pink, blonde-girl style, so she goes to law school to prove to him that she is intelligent. BUT her cute and pink style doesn't change. She stays true to herself, but still explores a new side of her.
I am especially proud of your messaging in this video! Love, Mom
Wow! This is really heartwarming.
This might just be the most heartwarming comment I’ve ever seen on UA-cam! You should indeed be proud- Mina’s content is entertaining, educational, and so well researched!
Omg 🥺
so wholesome
Awwwww
I’ve always felt as if the ugly duckling plot pushed a lot of young girls who looked like the “ugly duckling” to feel bad about themselves especially for having glasses, or curly hair.. which are beautiful, but also out of our control
Literally out of ones control and based on eurocenteic beauty standards.
Here's the thing. As a woman myself, some DO find empowerment in embracing more 'feminine' traits or 'looking like a sexy bad bitch' or feeling great and powerful in flowy dresses and all of that is fine! What bothers me is how forced it is. If a woman (or man or non-binary) wants to go through a makeover because they decide it could help their sense of confidence, which a makeover is sometimes able to do, I think it's awesome and incredibly empowering. But in all these damn movies, the makeover is FORCED upon them to please OTHERS, not themselves. And most people I know who do makeovers isn't because they were ugly before, it's just they need a change and sometimes a physical change can help in that - which is A okay.
I agree with this- I also love dressing up to feel sexier. But then recently I realized what makes me feel sexy is the same clothes/makeup that make me desirable to men. aka what makes me feel good potentially only does so because it's what I was taught would help me seem attractive to men
I would say Big Fat Greek Wedding is a good example of that. There's an awkward moment when her love interest realizes he ignored her before the makeover, but the makeover is for herself, not for him. I like seeing her use it to gain the confidence to go to college and make friends and become independent from her father.
The problem is that women's appearances are judged negatively no matter what we do. There's no right answer. So be yourselves!
You should probably ask yourself why spending money on beauty products makes you feel "empowered". The only people who are truly empowered by your decision to perform femininity are the CEOs (mostly male) of beauty companies who have fed you the idea since birth that you are worth more if you look more attractive.
@@judopuff7255 ...What? I have every right to feel empowered however I want. And what, because I like some makeup and flowy dresses.. I can't be an empowered woman? That makes absolutely no sense. I have every right to feel empowered by what I want, just like you. It has nothing to do with standards of beauty or capitalism.
Glasses can add to a stunning look when they suit the person's face shape. I used to hate wearing glasses and switched to contacts until I found glasses that really suited me. Now I love wearing them.
That's absolutely true! I would look absolutely terrible in anything but rectangle frames, but with them I look just as good (or even better?) than without glasses.
I like the makeover in My Big Fat Greek Wedding, because she does it for herself. It's implied she wasn't taking care of herself before because her self esteem was so low, but once she gains more confidence her looks and attitude reflect that. No movie needs a makeover scene, but if you're going to do it, do it like that.
I also like that her hairs still curly, she just learnt how to style it.
yes exactly! It didn't sit right with me that this movie was used as a bad example in this video and now I know why
The movie also shows how the male adapts to her "difficult" family for her so it's pretty balanced in terms of transformations.
@@ingupin i don't think it was used as a "bad" example but just a visual example to thread in with all the other makeovers. at least, that's how i saw it. i'm most of the way through & she hasn't mentioned it yet, i feel like it was purely visual.
I agree that it's one of the best!! Also the male lead doesn't treat her differently, when she refers to herself as frumpy he says he doesn't remember anyone frumpy, but he remembers her. Her makeover doesn't result in male validation, it encourages her to be confident enough to engage in a relationship.
@@Gretaisworking I also think Ian thought she was cute before she had her makeover.
the fact that most "glow ups" are of girls with bushy eyebrows/curly hair/big noses... whos new look is thin brows and striaght hair... we need to talk about how this is also borderline racist and that these movies only find white "beauty" traits good. the racism luv
The fact that I know not a SINGLE POC/WOC who got a makeover and didn’t even think about it until this comment is scary; thanks for the heads up! And from your phrasing it sounds like you got over your self image problems, which is super duper cool!🥳
also traits of stereotypical jewish people which is... yikes
anti-semitism and racism woooo!! /s
@@amia560 YEAH YEAH.... ITS SO PAINFUL..
Yes, another curly-haired latina here and I realized way too late that the features I was most self-conscious about (peach fuzz, translucent under-eyes, baby hairs, nose bump) were the ones that didn't adhere to Euro-American beauty standards.
Omg say it louder for the people in the back p l e a s e
i can actually think of one unconventional transformation and that is fiona from shrek lol. i remember being disappointed as a little girl, but now i can appreciate the positive and refreshing messaging
Oh my goodness I agree!!!! ten-year-old me watching it was weirded out as to why Fiona would remain in her ogre form. But growing up I completely relate to wanting to look the way you feel comfortable the most
Same.
"the incendiary take that femininity is the only way to 'grow up' or become a 'real woman'" YES! PREACH IT! I've been a tomboy most of my life and I totally _resent_ the idea that this is...unfinished, wrong, not "a full woman". Some ADULT women just want to wear t-shirts, jeans and ponytails, you know? There's nothing _wrong_ with me. It's just that makeup, high heels and figure-fitting fashionable clothes aren't ME.
Also i think working on yourself can be In a physical way like exercise, mental way like studying, spititual like thinking.... It is ALL working on oneself, and it can be done arguably even more easily in comfy clothes than in feminine coded
so there are only 2 types of women then?
A T-shirt, jeans, and a ponytail would actually be more fashionable than 95% of the makeup, high heels, and figure-fitting "fashionable" clothes on the runway. Remember those ugly bubble dresses that the models could barely walk in?
I don’t understand why people always get rid of glasses in glow ups. Like I look way better with my glasses on sooo
Literally 😭
Rather than getting rid of glasses, it would've probably been better if they just decided to find better glasses
['Cuz glasses frames rly affects how you look: I remember this random moment where everyone wearing glasses decided to take off their glasses for a while and they looked rly weird because we rarely see their face w/o glasses - part of the reason why I decided to be the type who wears glasses when they need to instead of 24/7, since I don't think my vision is so bad that I need to do that, and I wasn't sure whether I wanted to try contacts (will probably try at some point, but it doesn't rly have anything to do w/ wanting to 'look better', but just 'cuz I want to try it + some coloured contacts seem interesting)]
When you mentioned eating disorders in the 1920's it reminded me of something I had read stating the theory that disorders such as anorexia nervosa could have developed as a result of Victorian standards of female propriety.
To kinda quote the excerpt I read, "It has been suggested it's cultural roots lie in the era's denigration of eating as inherently unfeminine and dangerously sexual. Medical accounts from the 1890's began describing cases of teenagers who stopped eating because of comments from their mothers about their weight. By not eating, young women distanced themselves from sexuality, and demonstrated their proper and moral status. Deprived of other avenues of self expression, young women could at least decline to eat; refusing food provided a voice to these women".
Not really relevant to this video but an interesting but of information I think
Intresesting. I suppose it could be so in some cases as each case is a bit different. However, it is important to note that eating disorders don't always equal *willfull* rejection of food. Some are just obsessive-compulsive eating patterns related to food that one develops as a coping mechanism for a certain trauma (which would disprove this theory). I used to have an ED and I didn't even know I had one. But as I've said, every case is different :)
@@ludmilacervena1647: that’s interesting, I experienced the opposite. there were a lot of factors in my eating disorder, but one of the biggest was actually control. My trauma actually stemmed from not having control, and an eating disorder was my way of getting it.
I know if someone would’ve told me to eat, I would’ve only tried harder, as I’ve heard is the more common experience with ED
what’s the source of that quote? it’s very interesting
Isn't Victorian also the era when the hour glass body waist is popular too? No wonder they could get their waist so small, not only with corset, they didn't eat too....
@@imParisthoee sorry but I just read it on an Instagram post one day lmao.
My mother is foreign, and I remember watching these movies as a young girl with her. She was just as in awe as I was with the transformations and we would watch them every night. I know it stuck with her because she never sees herself as beautiful now. Seeing that makes me so sad because I think she’s the most beautiful woman. And I look like her! So Idk. I kind of resent every movie I grew up with.
bro if that's you in your pfp yes your mom is beautiful
@@Helloknight oh my goodness🥺 you’re so kind! Thank you so much 🤍 I needed that.
One of my favourite sorta “opposite transformations” is from cloudy and a chance of meatballs where the girl sam originally starts out with her hair out and no glasses giving her the more “pretty” appearance but after talking to Flint he actually puts ON her glasses and helps tie her hair up. So she feels more like herself and happy and its just a really sweet moment and more movies should do that.
It makes me so sad that most TikTok trends are literally based on the concept of "glowing up" and "looking better than before", by using makeup and "beauty" products as a way of getting a makeover; it's obvious proof of how the phenomenon of the "ugly duckling" has been brainwashed into all of us. I have nothing against girls wearing makeup because they enjoy it, or they feel pretty with it... I'm saying that it's wrong that many women get pressured into being "feminine" and "classy", even when they don't feel like it. (This isn't a female-exclusive issue: don't get me started on toxic masculinity, or on the misconception that non binary people have to look andorgynous to be valid!)
Ugly duckling is fact, not brainwashing. I had that makeover for fun... on a lark and it changed my life personally and professionally. There is a scientific thing called pretty priveldge where especially women but also men treat beautiful women better. Some ugly women will treat them far worse... but over all good looking people are treated better. It was a sad observation, but not being American I think that cognative therapy is about accepting reality and not living in la la land.
Women are pressured into being being feminine and classy because biology is a sexist pig. The classier I am, the nicer even the most convinced feminists are to me. It's pretty sad how in real life women's biology make them treat women according to how they look. I find men are less bad than women at this.
Biology is sexist. Societies that accept nature instead of being delusional and work around it are happier. I find the western society to be arrogant thinking because they can send a man to the moon they can rewire the brain and undo millions of years of evolution with a couple words. The result is a lie culture - westerners lie that basically gravity doesn't exist, and you can jump off your balcony, flap your wings and fly, that santa claus and the tooth fairy exist. Lie, lie, lie. Why all the lying - because western ideals are not compatable with biology, because the platoist idealists took over from the aristotlean realists.
Ugly duckling is encoded into our DNA. If we can accept it, and that no Hollywood propaganda will change this, just make life harder for autists like myself... we can work around our sexist biology and make it less toxic. Denying our sexist biology will only make it more sexist and toxic while paying lipservice to impossible non toxic ideals that few can live with - and the gap causing lie culture and corruption.
Men can't get pregnant, therefore biology is sexist. Men want looks in a woman, and women are designed to compete for the top men who provide and protect.
Most of the people who are having a glow up on tik tok or on these films aren't even bad looking.. 🙃
@@mariaalmasani If this is what the world is like, it’s a world I don’t want to live in.
@@Theartisticyoshi If you think the world is a place you want to live in you speak from a place of privilege so stop being a bigot. More affluent people from more affluent countries have money including from welfare to deny reality and have money to save them from the consequences of their actions. You speak from privilege. Maybe you can accept that and not be a racist towards those from countries where people do not have a welfare state and have the priveldges you have. Let's be honest about that and the fastest social elevator without doing anything is racism, and the easist way to get away with being a racist and elevate your status in a racist way without getting in trouble and bashing less economically privileged countries is by being a feminist.
Let's be honest with each other, and don't gaslight and manipulate me, who grew up in civil war in the third world. I speak for not myself but women who can't even read and write in my village and tribe that you bully. Honestly that is the most privileged statement I heard, growing up under bombs.
@@mariaalmasani Nah, how about fuck off instead?
this trope gave me a TON of self hate for my appearance, I was so confused why I couldn't just "be fixed" with some makeup
One thing I noticed is, """feminine""" women are mostly laughed at by women (the whole "i'm not like the other girls" and "pick me girls" thing). Also, in most movies, feminine women are bad/mean/dumb while the MC is smart/kind/funny. And that doesn't sit right either :/
We just cant win
@@meulware we can't win so might as well do whatever the fuck we want and kick everyone who says otherwise :)
@@mariafausti3128 frrr. we're just slabs of meat on a ball of dirt so just do what ya gotta do
clearly for tomboy pick me I'm not like the other girls femenizem is about bullying girls who have a different style and dare to make themselvs feel better abt themselvs by adding a bit of make up and tanning.
It's also weird to me that, in most cases, the very feminine woman's only personality trait is that she's mean, and that's it.
Well the “ugly duckling” of Hans Christian Anderson’s tale was actually a swan all along. It’s just that he believed he was a duck and so did everyone else. So a real “ugly duckling transformation” would be one where the main character learns the truth about themselves in some fashion. Not a story about “glowing up”.
Cinderella likewise was always beautiful, that’s why the stepmother and stepsisters tormented her. The fairy godmother’s transformation of her appearance was about appropriateness rather than beauty. She had made herself a formal outfit, but the stepsisters ruined it: and she had no more time to acquire a new one. Likewise she did not have time to do her hair in a formal style. The fairy godmother isn’t giving her a “glow up”, but a wardrobe, coiffure and ride.
This! I am 1 year late but still. I also do not find this example suitable because the intention was not shifted to the "ugliness" of the duckling, but to the fact it simply didnt belog to the ducks and the ducks were the ones who was portrayed as dumb and pre-assuming creatures. So the moral of the story is rather "be yourself and you will find those to whom you belong" which is totally opposite to the concept of transformation trope.
the breakfast club will forever have the weirdest glow up montage
She was already pretty before it and she was dressing to what she likes, why change that?
Growing up as a girl is about making "femininity" your own, not becoming more "feminine".
i will screenshot this as a life quote, thank you
This comment deserves more likes
The only montage I remember from a girl becoming masculine (a gentleman) is Haruhi Fujioka from Ouran Host club.
She never accepts a full face of make up, high heels aesthetic as it is inconvenient, she also was never an actual ugly duckling that had to later on conserve that beauty.
She had a regular not so masculine, not so feminine sense that had at first and keeps at the end, just had a bad day when the guys did the first makeover.
She will have in special occasions a glow up, but will return to her previous state after it, pretty much as any other girl.
There is also Utena from revolutionary girl Utena, she at some point, has about two girly makeovers, but rejects both of them as she realizes that is not her, she later on embraces masculinity in order to become a prince which was her dream.
haruhi is an androgynous ICON
yess
Yes! I’ve never seen a Utena fan on the internet unless I’m watching or reading something directly related to the show.
Yes! I loved how in the anime she was still herself no matter what she wore ( If I remember correctly, I haven’t watched that anime in years 😅)
Reminds me of what my boyfriend told me once, which was that clothes are just clothes...
Haruhi is a gem lmao I miss ouran. She had short hair and glasses, had no problem wearing the host club uniform and pretending to be a boy for the sake of keeping the girls happy (and paying her debt haha), she wore a range of clothing that went from baggy sweaters to pink shirts with ruffled sleeves and just dgaf no matter what she was wearing. And when romance would pop up she was like "no thanks", did not take ANY of tamaki's bs, and was all around an enjoyable character. wow suddenly I'm back in 9th grade and want to read the whole manga again
mean girls is just great overall, It's also noticable how at the end the 'plastics' aren't demonised - they, like Cady, work through their identities to become happy with who they are and not what other people see them as even without changing into more 'masculine' or tomboyesk clothing
yeah, regina george’s whole thing was that she was never given a proper outlet for her anger so she resorted to bullying other girls. And near the end, she finally learns to deal with her anger healthily and joins a sports team.
notice how they make non-eurocentric features seem as the "ugly" before the glo-up? lmfao disgusting
Yeah I grew up with movies telling me that dark skin, curly hair, short hair is ugly and not lady like 😔
I feel it’s not even euro-centric, it’s Anglo-centric.
@@v.958 what’s anglo
@@omneity5579 of British descent
@@Lucie-pg4qr Not just British, we colloquially speak of central and northern europe
The only movie I can think of that does a "glow down" (idk what else to call it) is cloudy with a chance of meatballs. Sam sparks starts with flowy straight hair, no glasses, makeup, etc. She ends the movie with her hair in a scrunchie and big thick glasses. Not significant but it's something
That movie is awesome. I could do a video on Sam alone.
And it wasn't a nerd-turned-hottie trope, it was reversed! She changed her look back to the way she liked, and she actually loved science and weather and was super smart like flint. She was so happy when she got that weather meter thing
And Shrek
This reminds me of one Ouran High School Host Club manga chapter when Haruhi meets an academic girl who has straight hair and looks fine but she is constantly stressed about something. In the end it's revealed that she feels constant pressure to straighten her super curly hair to just fit the norm and it's eating her inside. I really like the other direction that the club did as they helped her to feel more comfortable to come to school with her beautiful frizzy hair and supported her along the journey to feel more comfortable with herself.
I feel like this is very wholesome take on the genre where curly hair is demonized so much and they even gave a little psa what kind of damage this treatment does to your hair in a long run.
what i hate most about "glow ups" and makeover culture is how its directed, most of the time at young girls. i remember being younger and all i had was pinterest (actually all i have still) and seeing pictures of girls who were way older than me, but portrayed to be young and what girls my age "should look like". an 11 year old girl comparing herself to a 20 yr old women is unrealistic, especially when your saying she has the "ideal" body type. deny it all u want, but social media encourages that... recently while i was watching a movie with my 5 year old cousin and she said to me , " why dont i look like that, she so pretty, i wish i looked like her." here is my 5 year old cousin, comparing herself to a full grown women, and because she doesnt look like her she thinks she isnt pretty. now little kids cant even be naive to how they look anymore. and it isnt just social media, its movies, tv, youtube, everything really. so until society stops making an "ideal" glow up culture will continue to thrive. unless they start implementing realistic portrayals of various kinds of people into the platforms we view. thats when peoples view of themselves will become healthier.
^^^ This. Full grown actors playing teenagers as well. Teenagers look gangly and goofy. Braces, baby fat, stupid haircuts. I know it’s hard to film with minors, bc of contracts, but if you can’t depict teens right, why do it at all
it's so funny, bc I was always mesmerised by the make over scenes (but sometimes I was also like, oh no she looked better before) but somehow it always stayed at admiring it. (bc I knew that was not me, so I never had the feeling that I had to look like them)
This is where p3dophilia plays in. Disgusting grown men/women who are into young (looking) girls. Or grown women who look younger than they are, acting cute or like a child for validation and attention.
Also because they like vulnerable girls, who don’t stand up for themselves...😬
Did you try to explain to your cousin that she shouldn't compare herself to a full grown woman? That she is already pretty and will be always as she grows up?
"Apparently good mental health means getting contact lenses."
Does this work vice versa?
Actually I prefer contacts to glasses as I cannot see sideways wearing glasses nor can I be too active. Which makes me feel better simply because I see better with contacts.
@@bluenuttefly8813 I think you are right, that's part of the reason. But I also hate how that's equated with taking care of yourself. You can take care of yourself without using make-up, shaving etc. On the contrary I know many woman where it's the opposite, myself included. Anytime my mental health plummets, that's when I want to use make-up etc. Because that's when insecurities can really come to surface and I'll attempt to mask them. Meanwhile when I feel better, I find it easier to accept myself for my natural self and everything that entails.
@@julijakeit That’s cool. I prefer glasses because putting something directly on my eyeball sounds terrifying.
@Charisma Girl as one does
@@andysmith5806 same lol
When girls get makeovers and the movie is like "this is the TRUE her" like... What she was being fake before?
One of my favorite makeover scenes is the one from Stranger Things where Max takes El to the mall to cheer her up because she's having boy problems. At the store, she asks what she should wear and Max encourages her to find her OWN style and is entirely supportive of everything she wants to try on. Then, rather than searching for male validation, her makeover is mostly ignored by Mike as we get the famous "I dump your ass" line from her as she is learning who she is and how to speak up for herself. We still get the aesthetic, fun, girly makeover montage but it's so positive and has nothing to do with making El prettier or different. The focus is simply helping her find herself and what she likes.
El's lesbian realization arc is the best.
It's so rare to find a comment section like this full of smart, intellectual people wow I m blown!
@NightRider I am sure your amazing too!
yes, I think so too. Lately any video that focuses on giving a message of female empowerment receives comments from (mostly) men trying to victimize themselves saying that feminism hates men. I love that in this comment section everyone is aware of how women continue to be subjected to misogynistic standards and stereotypes.
@file not found I'm a girl, and I'd still say toxic masculinity needs to be addressed, but I don't get why they'd go to a female empowerment video to rant about it.
@@yay5014 i don't see the problem-
okay so everyone's writing meaningful comments, about stuff to do with the video and its message..i just wanna point out how i love the fact that the plant in the background has a label on it that says "plant" ;-;
Cute
Your comment is just as valid 💗
I feel like woman have to suffer with living to the standards of the male gaze, I've noticed that even as an concious feminist adult I still have this believes ingrained in my brain, sometimes I even wonder how many women truly live their lives without thinking of male validation. Bc I feel like make validation still holds so much power over woman.
YES!!💯
If we keep being conscious then hopefully there will be a generation where all women are naturally unaware of the male gaze just living their best lives
AGREE. As a Lesbian I struggled with comphet so longggg
“Male fantasies, male fantasies, is everything run by male fantasies? Up on a pedestal or down on your knees, it's all a male fantasy: that you're strong enough to take what they dish out, or else too weak to do anything about it. Even pretending you aren't catering to male fantasies is a male fantasy: pretending you're unseen, pretending you have a life of your own, that you can wash your feet and comb your hair unconscious of the ever-present watcher peering through the keyhole, peering through the keyhole in your own head, if nowhere else. You are a woman with a man inside watching a woman. You are your own voyeur.”
― Margaret Atwood, The Robber Bride
ikr
i would also like to say that this transformation is further fueled by the beauty industry bc the more insecure you are, the more products you buy to "fix" that
You just reminded me of an episode in Phineas and Ferb titled "Attack of the 50 foot sister" where that's one of the lessons, and even one character admits out loud what you commented. They outright say that "beauty" is always made unattainable so people will never stop buying products.
@@100lovenana thank you for mentioning phineas and ferb i love that show
Finally someone's doing a proper analysis of the glow up phenomenon 😍
About the ugly duckling. My mom once told me that she interprets it in another way. Not as the duckling getting accepted because he became beautiful, but as the duckling getting accepted because he was never a duckling in the first place. He was always a swan, but he wasn't in the right group, in the place where he fits in. In human terms, maybe sometimes the place you are at or the people who are with you are not YOUR group. It kinda happened to me personally, in my childhood. I don't have many memories of first and second grade but, even if it's a bit enlarged by me being a child (at that age everything seems more drastic) but I felt completely left alone. Completely separated from everyone. Not just my whole class, my whole school. There were a couple people I genuinely liked, but I could count them on one hand. But I changed school, and my life took a turn. Did I have an happy ever after when me and my classmates would always be togheter forever? Hell no. I am genuinely friends with 2 of them, but much much more with one, whom I know since I was like, 2 months old. But school was much less unbearable because finally, I could be in the group instead of an outsider just looking to them, almost as if I didn't know them. I know it's a bold statement to say something like that happened to me at the age of 7, not even 2 numbers, but God if I can still to this day feel those emotion. All of this to say, that sometimes it's not you that should change but who you surround yourself with. Ofc that doesn't make the "ducks" lesser people, just...not your people, who sometimes don't even keep you away with a malicious intent, they just don't know how to be with you.
THANK YOU.
@@YangLoves you're welcome. I'm happy if I could help you or make your day better in some way
That’s always what I thought it was abou
Your mother seems like a wise and intelligent woman. I definitely agree with that thought.
@@bonniehowell4259 thanks! She has her flaws but she's a really great mother and has always done her best for me
Do you think this is why our society has such an obsession to “glow up”? Glowing up is just growing into our feathers and finding our our style, but it is treated in such a different way. (Also I think this is heavily influence by capitalism, because they need to sell us something that we are “missing”. Products that will “transform” us into the “glowed up” version of ourselves.)
Yes! During my glow up phase in college, I’m disgusted now at how many things I needed and wanted back then. I bought so many clothes, make up, moisturizers etc.... I was addicted and it was never enough. I became superficial, and now am way more content with just the things I have.
This is why I have always loved the scene "Welcome to the 60s" from Hairspray. It features a makeover montage, but the makeover is only about making Tracy and her mom feel confident and accept themselves, not be pretty.
also Lola giving Yael a makeover in degrassi, but the makeover is about yael feeling comfortable with their gender, not being pretty
YESSSS hey mama hey mama follow me, I know something's in ya that you wanna set free so LET GO GO GO OF THE PAST NOW, SAY HELLO TO THE LOVE IN YOUR HEART, YES I KNOW THAT THE WORLD'S SPINNIN FAST NOW BUT YOU GOTTA GET YOURSELF A BRAND NEW START
"They should've treated her better because she actually had money this whole time" LMFAO I can't believe Dhar Mann ripped off Pretty Woman
I thought I was the only one who thought of him lmao✋😭