Susan Boyle, I've got a bone to pick. Not with you, but with society. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the woman I'm talking about, see the photo to the right. Susan Boyle is a 47-year-old Scottish woman who appeared on the TV show "Britain's Got Talent" and wowed the world with her vocal skills.What's not to like, you ask? Our society's reaction is what's not to like. Susan Boyle is, how do I put this delicately...well, she's ugly. I would love to know if Susan Boyle would be the same internet sensation touching the hearts of many all over the world if she was good looking. My guess is NO. Let's pretend Susan Boyle looks like Carrie Underwood and sings well...no big deal, right? Why is that??? It says a lot about our society's deeply held beliefs. Ugly people obviously can't be good at anything (I hope you sense my sarcasm) so we go crazy when it turns out that one not-so-good-looking woman can really belt out a tune. When someone like Carrie Underwood (who won American Idol a few years ago)turns out to be a fabulous singer, it's no surprise. She's good looking so it is to be expected.
I have nothing against Susan Boyle - she has an amazing voice and that should be celebrated. I just think we all need to stop for a moment and try to figure out why we're going so crazy over her. Is it really her voice, or is it because no one expects her to be good at something because of the way she looks? Chew on that for a while.
1 comment:
I thought the same thing when I watched that clip on youtube. Why is it such a big deal that someone who is not "pretty" can sing? Last time I checked it didn't dictate how well your vocal chords worked. Well said. xoxo MB
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