Untouched Vs The Perfect Body

Two companies aimed at similar demographics trying to promote the same body image positivity, but they are going about it in two completely different ways. Victoria's Secret's The Perfect Body Campaign versus Aerie's Untouched Campaign.

Aerie's Untouched Campaign was launched to challenge the idea that all girls/ women are supposed to be shaped like supermodels and that there was only one type of body size. The Untouched Ad Campaign featured women of all different shapes and sizes who hadn't been retouched in any way shape or form, they took the what you see is what you get approach and as a result sales increased 36 percent withing the first fiscal year of the campaign according to Reporters over at huffington posts . Now 36 percent increase might seem like a big deal and for the company it was, but the problem lies within Aerie's actual product. Such a postive message in the Ad campaign only for it to fall flat. The untouched campaign was supposed to be about women of all body sizes being sexy and beautiful but aerie doesn't have products that support all these women. The Largest bra size they go up to is a 38DD and the largest size for panties is simply an extra large. If you don't believe me check out their site. So for an ad Campaign to support all sizes you would think they would at least have a large variety of sizes for these women that they are praising and encouraging to be their natural selves.

Then you have Victoria's Secrets (VS) who launched its super controversial "The Perfect Body" Campaign that featured its standard "Angels" and Angel Sized models. The problem with this campaign was that VS  didn't feature models of all body types although they carry products that go up to a 40DDD (Click here for Proof) VS attached  that perfect body type to the women that they pictured in their ad. The purpose of their campaign was to promote their new "BODY" bra that was made for all women no matter the shape or size. However the way the campaign translated was "this is the perfect body" and although that wasn't the intention it caused a decrease in sales according to business insider  and a lot of backlash.

When it really comes down to body image campaigns they can really be hit or miss and honestly no one is ever going to get it right. There is no way to capture an image that represents every single body type in the world because EVERYONE is different. Although both of these campaigns had their successes they were not met without backlash. No matter who you choose to shop with someone is always going to be feeling left out and while that's super unfair, unfortunately that's how the cookie crumbles.

Black Women in Positions of Power on TV

There was a time when you would turn your Television on and would hardly ever see african american women as stars of the show, and you most certainly wouldn't see them in roles where they were in positions of power! Not anymore though! Black women are kicking butt in the industry these days, women like Taraji P. Henson (Empire) Kerry Washington (Scandal) and Viola Davis (How to get Away with Murder)  are all the stars of their respective shows.  Taraji P Henson plays the outspoken diva CEO to her record label on Empire, Kerry Washington's character Olivia Pope is an attorney or "gladiator" who is at the disposal of the president to clean up messes in and Viola Davis play a shark of an attorney name Annalise Keating who takes on the most difficult cases while she continues to teach a law class at a University. These women hold some of the most prestigious roles on television, roles that for so many years were exclusive to men and predominately white men at that.

  

Cookie Lyon: Taraji P. Henson

Annalise Keating :Viola Davis 

Olivia Pope: Kerry Washington

It took decades for women of color to get to this point, to the point of being lead rolls, these women stand on their own and open the door for so many women of color to be able to take on these roles. Its realistic, these days it's So realistic that the CEO of the multi million dollar company is a black women think Oprah Winfrey, the right had to the president of the united states was Condoleezza Rice, and Shirley Chisolm was an Outstanding attorney. We as a people need to see more women of color in these roles serving as role models to these young girls. According to Time Magazine Kerry Washington's role on ABC's Scandal made her one of the most influential people of 2014 she's in great company on that last the writer of her show Shonda Rhimes also made that list, another african american women who also is the write for How to Get Away with Murder and Grey Anatomy. ABC  even earned the hashtag #ShondaThrusdays on twitter due to all three of these shows dominating that channel on Thursday nights running back to back. As a black woman it's empowering to turn on the television and see women who look like me running the show, this is just a small step in an even bigger step that media is taking to showcase people of all colors, race, gender and sexuality in television lets just hope that we can continue to take these great strides together, especially in times where it seems the world is trying to tear us apart.

From Divas to Superstars: Breaking Gender Barriers in the WWE

Everyone knows that the WWE is one of the most profitable Brands in the world. People all over the world watch the WWE and although the majority of the viewers are in fact men, as of 2015, 35% of the viewers of the WWE are in fact female and the numbers continue to grow.  When it comes to the WWE women are watching too and not just to see how Gorgeous Tyler Breeze is or to fawn over how good Roman Reigns look. Women are watching for the athleticism of the men and women putting their bodies on the line day in and day out to provide entertainment for us. The men of the WWE put their bodies on the line and that is expected but the Superstars formerly known as "Divas" are putting their bodies on the line as well. The WWE  is finally embracing its women athletes as more than just eye candy. These Superstars are getting matches just like the big boys. Just last October reigning Women's Champion Charlotte faced another amazing superstar Sasha Banks in their very own cage match something that up until last October was something reserved for the boys because the brutal steel cage was once considered to dangerous for women according to an article on Oxygen.com. Another steel Cage match happened just this year with Superstars Alexa Bliss and Becky Lynch. Wrestling isn't just for the boys anymore. Last April the WWE ditched the super feminine "Divas Title" belt that was shaped like a butterfly  and upgraded to a better model one that looked exactly like the Men's championship belt.
The belts are shown below.
Diva's Title prior to 2016  on the Top V.S. the Women's Championship on the Bottom.

The WWE isn't only using its women as arm candy anymore. These Superstars are here to play with the big boys. The WWE is taking great strides in the acceptance of its female athletes and they aren't going anywhere. Each day the WWE Universe grows and each day more and more women are tuning in to see these phenomenal women push their bodies pass their limits and its becoming more and more normal to see these women in exhilarating matches displaying superior athleticism than in many other sports.

In conclusion the representation of women in the WWE is growing everyday, from young girls at home screaming for Bayley, to women entering into NXT waiting on their day to to be called up to the big stage that is RAW or SMACKDOWN. Women are present in the WWE from merchandise sales, to the number of women in the arenas to cheer on their favorite superstar, to the women tuning in every week to watch Charlotte continue to reign "Genetically Superior" over the rest of her female superstars. The number of women in the WWE is only going to continue to grow and so move over boys these Superstars aren't going anywhere.

 Below are some links to some of the most intense women's matches of 2016.

Charlotte V Sasha Banks Cage Match 

Charlotte V Paige 

Nikki V Natalya