by 
© David Gabber/PR Photos
Jessica Biel is the latest star to take a stand on modest apparel, and she did so for a unique reason. Her reason was the impact that she would have on her children.
You see, Miss Biel thinks a lot about how her future generations will see her. She understands that beauty is just a passing fancy, and even though she was most recently given an award from a men’s magazine for her appearance, it appears that it hasn’t corrupted her into thinking that her looks are everything:
“You know, although I’m flattered to be chosen the Sexiest Woman Alive I know that next year I might not be. I mean, we all age, and I’m not getting any younger.
“The point is, when I’m old and a grandma do I really want my kids to look at me and think of me for my looks– that Granny was the Sexiest Woman Alive– or do I want them to know me for what I’ve done?
Ladies, who you are inside is much more important than who you are on the outside.”
Or, that’s what she should have said. Instead, Miss Biel was reveling in the fact that her future offspring wouldn’t believe that she was that attractive, and used the fact that her beauty was fading to have photos taken of herself in less than her underwear so that she could show future generations how “hot” she used to be. Here’s the real quote:
“At first I felt really embarrassed about it. You know, it’s a weird thing to talk about. Like, ‘Hey, guys. Guess what?’ You don’t just go telling everybody that. But after I got over that, I just started to embrace it. I started thinking, If I ever do have kids, and if they have kids, I can tell them: ‘You know what? Your grandma in 2000-and-whatever was the Sexiest Woman Alive. How about that, kids?’ That’s what I started to think about. I’ll always have that picture to say, ‘That’s what Granny used to look like.’ ”
This quote contains more than just the future look that I was referring to, however, it also contains something interesting in the first part, “At first I felt really embarrassed about it.” She was embarrassed to have a photo shoot. Why? Because of natural, inborn shame at appearing exposed.
Now, this isn’t the first time Miss Biel has shown too much, and it probably won’t be the last, but what I am pointing out with this post is that she knows what she is doing– glorifying her temporal body, wanting people to look at her form, etc– and it’s a selfish thing for her own benefit.
Like always, I wish she made the first statement instead of the second.
Do we really expect anything more?
We should, but sadly we don’t.
There was a time when people that refrained from doing this kind of thing were frowned upon, and now it’s just the path toward stardom.
I read this post the first time you put it up, following along, agreeing with your point. But then I followed the link (and yes, you did put in the disclaimer) and was blown away. Not because of the pictures but that you had linked to a site that just didn’t need to be linked to. All morning it’s bothered me because as a wife who has a husband who shares his inner battles with me, I know what a tempting and irresistable spot that could be. Do I tell Minthegap or do I just let it go and make sure not to pass this site on to hubs.
Very happy to see you took it out!!!
And on topic—–It’s sad that we (me included) have become so desensitized by our cultures lust for overt sexuality, violence and the next great thing that pushes the limits. Not shocked by this woman’s career choice, but thoroughly disappointed that another role model has chosen to follow the crowd.
Gayle, thanks for your comment. You’re not the only woman that reacted in that way– my wife, once she saw it, told me of the problem and I immediately removed it.
I have to say that I’m a creature of process. I see the process as: I find a quote, I give credit to the quote. So, I linked– but I spent a lot of time finding a modest picture for my post, and I also made sure to put in a disclaimer (as you saw) to say “be warned.” I will say that a part of me wondered if that were enough, but the legal/process part of me said “you have to attribute your links”.
However, you and my wife are right. A link on my site is a small endorsement of the source content. In this case, the source was something offensive and could lead people to sin, so the link had to go.
On topic– I’ve been saddened for Miss Biel since she decided that she had to differentiate herself from 7th Heaven (not a show that I was glued to, but we did watch it from time to time and it did start my blogging, but that’s another story) by getting photographed topless. She did seem to have a good heart by helping to raise money for a girl that was sick, so one could hope that she was getting a better sense of right and wrong. It appears that she hasn’t.