Monday, September 10, 2012

Shalia Boggs: Distortion


Distortion is something that we as residents of a civilized society deal with on a daily basis.  Women, more than men, often face this issue more when we pick up the latest copy of a fashion magazine.  "I need to look like her," is something a lot of girls say and in turn, causes them to expect that their bodies should resemble the models in print.  This is what results in people to have such distorted self-images.

Animals in nature are also faced with distortion.  The mallard duck above is a female and doesn't display the vibrant colors of that of her male counterpart.  It makes me wonder if these creatures have the same thoughts we do about why her feathers aren't as bright and bold as her mate.  Does she look at her reflection in the water and wonder why her feathers are the colors they are?  What does she think when she sees herself in the water?

The reality is that they don't.  Nature is gender neutral and therefore, doesn't allow for animals to care what color their feathers or fur is, just as long as it's functional and differentiates them from the next species of bird.

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