Are Catholic women required to be beautiful?

[Lea101]

I feel like the Christian view is ideal, but the secular view is just the uncomfortable truth about the reality we are in.

 

[twf]

Yes, definitely a North American thing. In my wife’s native Dominican all the women drink beer. My wife’s 80 something grandma drinks beer.

 

[friardchips]

Men are created to be more sensually based, and visual attraction is a strong component…unlike women, who tend to be more relationally/emotionally based in attachment.

it is true that men, especially younger men, are easily distracted by outward appearance, and do not look upon the inner beauty at all, or until much later.

These seem to be generalised statements.

So yes, beauty is a necessity in the perception of femininity.

While this is a false statement…

This reply definitely requires looking at.

 

[phil19034]

My rough guess would be that in her worldview,she views her femininity as being “countercultural” in a society where things like gender sameness are promoted.

Obviously knowing she is attractive also contributes to the posting of all the photos.

What I find had to determine though,is that type of femininity a construct of culture or of Catholic religion?

I would say culture.

I looked at some of her pictures.

1. she’s a photographer, so beautiful pictures are part of her job
2. Based on what you are saying, I think she might also be trying to show that a woman can be gorgeous and religious/chaste at the same time too.

God Bless

 

[Brendan_64]

While this is a false statement, it is true that men, especially younger men, are easily distracted by outward appearance, and do not look upon the inner beauty at all, or until much later.

Yes, and in the creation of the image of a modestly dressed, elegant, gentle, attractive young woman, usually wearing a mantilla, are we not attempting to link outer and inner beauty? Almost as if outer beauty is a reflection of inner beauty.

That would appear to be problematic on several levels. What does it imply about women who are not particularly physically beautiful? And is it not simply a way of dressing up men’s distraction with female physical appearance as being something else more noble?

 

[guanophore]

These seem to be generalised statements.

Indeed. What else could they be?

This reply definitely requires looking at.

I find the plants in my back yard full of beauty. Does that make them feminine?

Almost as if outer beauty is a reflection of inner beauty.

I wish this were always the case! It seems that the opposite is more often true, as our culture reinforces vanity.

 

[friardchips]

Objective.

To state that beauty might be a necessary attribute for the perception of femininity does not negate the possibility that beauty is a necessary attribute for the perception of masculinity (objectively speaking).

 

[Brendan_64]

I think this concept of the beautiful (inside and out), modest, demure, Catholic woman (a model of femininity) may result from romantic notions of Catholic culture, with perhaps hints of medieval chivalry.

I think we need to be careful not to mix up culture and faith. Catholic culture and Catholic Faith are two very different things.

 

[PetraG]

Catholic culture and Catholic Faith are two very different things.

Yes.
If one reads St. Pope John Paul II’s Mulieris Dignitatis, one does not find musings about some required physical appearance. Instead, he speaks about the dignity inherent to women, a dignity that is feminine and that has had many different appearances:

“If you knew the gift of God” (Jn 4:10), Jesus says to the Samaritan woman during one of those remarkable conversations which show his great esteem for the dignity of women and for the vocation which enables them to share in his messianic mission.

The present reflections, now at an end, have sought to recognize, within the “gift of God”, what he, as Creator and Redeemer, entrusts to women, to every woman. In the Spirit of Christ, in fact, women can discover the entire meaning of their femininity and thus be disposed to making a “sincere gift of self” to others, thereby finding themselves.

During the Marian Year the Church desires to give thanks to the Most Holy Trinity for the “mystery of woman” and for every woman - for that which constitutes the eternal measure of her feminine dignity, for the “great works of God”, which throughout human history have been accomplished in and through her. After all, was it not in and through her that the greatest event in human history - the incarnation of God himself - was accomplished?…

The Church gives thanks for all the manifestations of the feminine “genius” which have appeared in the course of history, in the midst of all peoples and nations; she gives thanks for all the charisms which the Holy Spirit distributes to women in the history of the People of God, for all the victories which she owes to their faith, hope and charity: she gives thanks for all the fruits of feminine holiness.
http://w2.vatican.va/content/john-p...f_jp-ii_apl_19880815_mulieris-dignitatem.html

In other words, the clothing of virtue rooted in the love of God and neighbor is all that is required. Seek that, and the rest will take care of itself…I mean that as your virtue grows and you receive your particular charism from the Holy Spirit, you will be able to dress yourself appropriately. Don’t worry!

Why are you anxious about clothes? Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin.
But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them.
If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith?
So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear?’
All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all.
But seek first the kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given you besides.
(Matt. 6:28-33)

 

[Angel_Gabriel]

What I find out here in America also is the stigma attached to men, who say, prefer so called “girly drinks” over beer. When my husband and I go out and happen to order drinks, I always get either dry wine or a beer and he will get a mixed drink…the kind that often come with whipped cream and little umbrellas. And time and time again, when the server gives us our drinks they give him the beer. ugh…

This all plays into the whole idea that women can’t do anything or like anything that a man does (and vice versa) b/c it’s somehow wrong…why? Everything I do is feminine just my virtue of the fact that I’m a female! Why are girls things constantly covered in pink and we’re nearly forced to grow up wanting to be a pretty pink princess? I love glitter and shiny things too but come on…it;s overkill anymore!

One of my favorite video games growing up with The Legend of Zelda (who am I kidding…it still IS my favorite) and yes I’m that girl who played video games with her brother’s friends…and beat them too. One Halloween I dressed up as Link the main protagonist who happens to be a boy…well, what can I say…Link was an awesome character! He went on adventures and fought bad guys…back then Princess Zelda didn’t do much. I love how Nintendo has totally had her come in to her own over the last 10-15 years or so. She’s an awesome character now too.

 

[alice24]

Yes, definitely a North American thing. In my wife’s native Dominican all the women drink beer. My wife’s 80 something grandma drinks beer.

Agree from the german party here, drinking beer is absolutely normal.

 

[TheAmazingGrace]

This all plays into the whole idea that women can’t do anything or like anything that a man does (and vice versa) b/c it’s somehow wrong…why?

Control.

(10 characters)

 

[friardchips]

What does ‘10 characters’ mean?

 

[TheAmazingGrace]

CAF doesn’t like one-word posts. You have to write at least 10 characters.

 

[friardchips]

Oh, I see. Noticed that - it can be frustrating.

 

[Ardent_Fire]

I suspect that “male suitors” back in those days might not have always been as respectful towards women that wanted to be left alone.

 

[theCardinalbird]

I’m glad I’m not a young person today growing up with social media such as Instagram and Facebook. I suppose I would like more of the technology if I were brought up with it, but it sure makes it harder to be oneself and not be so strongly influenced by all the trends and fashion displayed by celebrities as well as ordinary people. Television was a bad enough influence in my day although, despite less variety, there were more programs of worth and substance compared to now.

Speaking as one of those young persons I can only say that technology is a curse but also a blessing…

 

[Ardent_Fire]

I don’t think it’s really fair to judge her actions by the standards of today. She’s a saint, what are we?

And it wouldn’t surprise me if men weren’t so quick to just “leave you alone” back then when a woman wanted to be left alone so I could understand her desperation if that were the case. Women at times were treated like little more than property in some of those circles.

 

[Giggly_Giraffe]

“This is due first and foremost to the fact that man is a being made up of body and soul. Man is truly himself when his body and soul are intimately united; the challenge of eros can be said to be truly overcome when this unification is achieved. Should he aspire to be pure spirit and to reject the flesh as pertaining to his animal nature alone, then spirit and body would both lose their dignity. On the other hand, should he deny the spirit and consider matter, the body, as the only reality, he would likewise lose his greatness. The epicure Gassendi used to offer Descartes the humorous greeting: “O Soul!” And Descartes would reply: “O Flesh!”.[3] Yet it is neither the spirit alone nor the body alone that loves: it is man, the person, a unified creature composed of body and soul, who loves. Only when both dimensions are truly united, does man attain his full stature. Only thus is love —eros—able to mature and attain its authentic grandeur.

Nowadays Christianity of the past is often criticized as having been opposed to the body; and it is quite true that tendencies of this sort have always existed. Yet the contemporary way of exalting the body is deceptive. Eros, reduced to pure “sex”, has become a commodity, a mere “thing” to be bought and sold, or rather, man himself becomes a commodity. This is hardly man’s great “yes” to the body. On the contrary, he now considers his body and his sexuality as the purely material part of himself, to be used and exploited at will. Nor does he see it as an arena for the exercise of his freedom, but as a mere object that he attempts, as he pleases, to make both enjoyable and harmless. Here we are actually dealing with a debasement of the human body: no longer is it integrated into our overall existential freedom; no longer is it a vital expression of our whole being, but it is more or less relegated to the purely biological sphere. The apparent exaltation of the body can quickly turn into a hatred of bodiliness. Christian faith, on the other hand, has always considered man a unity in duality, a reality in which spirit and matter compenetrate, and in which each is brought to a new nobility. True, eros tends to rise “in ecstasy” towards the Divine, to lead us beyond ourselves; yet for this very reason it calls for a path of ascent, renunciation, purification and healing.”
http://w2.vatican.va/content/benedi...xvi_enc_20051225_deus-caritas-est.html#_ftn13

 

[halogirl]

She’s a beautiful person however she seems more concerned with posing and vanity than glorifying the Lord. She seems to prize her looks more just from these photos and be ‘seen to be Looking holy’