Published in Star Weekend Magazine, Vol. 8 Issue 89, October 2009.

 

So what did these images of “accomplishment” comprise? The first slat was a fairly pretty young woman, glittery tiara on head, heavily made-up face, French manicured fingers pressed to lips half open in surprise and artfully pretty tears of joy and acceptance glinting in her eyes, congratulatory flowers clasped to her breast; the second one was that defining photo of the moon landing — we’ve all seen it, a human figure clad in a spacesuit, astride the grey lunar barrenness; the third picture was of young hands (successfully) tying a shoelace into a neat bow.

Right. So for men, accomplishment is reaching the moon. For women, it’s winning a contest which pits women against each other on the basis of looks. While men strive to reach the stars, women are busy putting on makeup.