Seeing Myself on Television

From the time I was a little girl, there was one thing I have always heard. To be thought of as truly beautiful, a girl needed to be tall, thin, blonde, and blue-eyed. Legends such as Marilyn Monroe, Jane Mansfield, and Pamilla Anderson seemed to be every man's fantasies. Even then, I was self-conscience about it. Here I was, dark complected, dark haired, dark eyed, and don't even get me started on this big nose in the middle of my face. I didn't even stand a chance.

Whenever I saw a pretty popular dark-haired girl on tv, I always felt a sense of pride, if they could be seen as pretty, maybe I could to. I still find myself cheering for the girl that I can see just a little of myself in when I watch. Even though being blonde is still considered to be the "in" thing, us brunettes have made our marks too.

The first time I saw someone that I could see myself in was when I was about five years old. My aunt had a vhs tape of a Christmas show from the fifties, where a bunch of little kids was sitting with Santa. As I watched it, I saw a little girl that looked so much like me, I was astonished. My aunt, being my aunt, told me it was me. Me being me, believed her. Never mind the fact that this show was taped thirty years before I was even born.

A few years later I saw someone that became a huge role model for me, and who remains such today. I don't know how I started watching old Mickey Mouse Club shows. I do like retro everything. I saw an Italian, shy, pretty, dark haired, dark eyed girl who all the boys seemed to love. Her name was Annette Funicello. Not only did I look kind of like her, but she was shy just like me. I had hope that my dreams could come true just like her.

It is said that blondes have more fun, and I kind of believe that. I don't really understand the media's fascination with blondes. Anybody can be beautiful. There have been some famous brunettes who have been known for their beauty, as well as their talent. In the fifties and sixties, we had Elizabeth Taylor and Natalie Wood. Later we had Valerie Bertinelli and Nancy McKeon, even though they were better known for their innocent girl next door looks. In music, Selena was known as the Hispanic version of Madonna.

Today, people's views on beauty have expanded greatly, and so have their hair colors. I have thought of dying my hair blonde, but I haven't gone through with it for two reasons. For one, I tried a blonde wig on once, and well, it didn't suit me. But also, I have come to an appreciation for my dark hair. I got it from my dad, it's my heritage, and I'm proud of that.

In recent years, there have been much more representation on tv. This has included not only looks and ethnicities, but also sexual orientations and disabilities. In the end, it's important to understand we are all different and unique. Life would be boring if we were exactly alike. We should be proud of who we are. Beauty really is in the eye of the beholder, and it all starts inside us.

I have come to accept the fact that I will never be 6 feet tall with blonde hair and blue eyes, and I still have this same nose. But now I look it with a different view. It's what makes me... me, and I am ok with that.