At first I really didn't know what to expect with The Century Project. I had heard so much controversy around it that I was unsure of my own feelings. I am never one to listen to movie or book reviews; I always have to judge things for myself. I was glad that Dr. Hollingsworth gave us the opportunity to go see it during class. I am ashamed to say that my feelings were so mixed that I'm not sure if I would have gone if she had not prompted us to. I am very glad that she did because my experience there definitely changed my life.
After taking the time to move around the room, see the photos and read the stories, I felt it became very hard to not let my emotions come out and burst into tears-- Not necessarily in a sad crying manner, but the stories and images conveyed so much emotion, passion and true life that I was just so overcome with a sense of myself. In the faces of these women, I saw my cousin who has a huge scar running down her chest from the open-heart surgeries that she's faced over her 24 years of life. I saw my mother whose face has been distorted and cut-open because of the cancer that ravaged her skin. I saw my grandmother whose frail, small body has seen more war, death and coldness than any one person should have to face. These women, my family, strong and beautiful because of their flaws. This is real life. This is what a woman should look like. I'm sick of seeing Photoshopped, stick-thin women in magazines and people telling me this is what we should look like.
Why is it so hard for people to accept reality? Society is so ingrained in this idealistic view of the world and seem to be pained and ashamed of what things really look like. They shouldn't be afraid of what the real world looks like and things that seem anything other than perfect. Reality isn't perfect. Real life is full of scars, flaws and different shapes and sizes. This is how we were made, and how were are supposed to be. Is that why The Century Project was put into so much controversy? Do people really want to try that hard to blind themselves of the truth? I will never understand why the truth is so painful. You don't have to candy-coat the fact that people aren't perfect.
I really hope that Frank Cordelle continues to share his project. I think that it would be a very great thing for any young girl to see these pictures and read these stories. I think that I would have grown up a more confident, independent girl if I could have seen these women and what a normal body was really supposed to look like. With the images of actresses, models and plastic dolls ingrained in my head, I was sure that what I looked like was wrong. If I had been shown the truth, I would have been happier and loved myself through those awkard years of Middle and High School.
I don't know what anyone hopes to accomplish with censorship. Censorship is just like lying, covering up the truth that is meant to be known. I hope people come to see the error of their ways and allow things The Century Project to be seen. Nothing good ever comes out ouf lying, and I hope that The Century Project still circulates when I have children because I'd love to share this experience again with my daughter.
The Century Project
