Is there such a thing as the perfect woman? This occurred to me during a bedtime talk with my 9-year old son. He mentioned that he couldn’t wait for college because “there is a time and place for everything,” he said, “and that’s college.”
Curious by what he thought happened in college, he informed me that he would meet his perfect woman there. What came next is what disturbed me the most.
He described his “perfect woman” as a “girl with long, dangly hair, a small nose, a tiny butt, big boobs, lots of lipstick,” and most of all, “a clear face without any pimples or freckles.” Oh, and yes, she must wear tennis shoes instead of high heels.
Once I regained my composure and resisted the urge to ensue a lesson on sexism, I asked him what type of personality he wanted in this perfect woman. His response? “That doesn’t matter, mom.”
But it does matter.
It’s no wonder that women have body image issues. If a 9-year old boy, raised in a single mom household with more female influence than most boys his age, has already established the ability to pass judgment on women based solely on appearance, where is the hope for the rest of society, a society that is preoccupied with body parts, bikini-clad models, and the thinness of celebrities.
So, I took the time to discuss the importance of internal and external features in a mate, promptly putting him to sleep faster than a bedtime story.
My sense of hope for society was renewed, though, when I asked my 10-year old daughter her thoughts on the perfect woman. She replied with, “Duh, mom, that would be me.” I love her confidence, confidence that will surely put her brother in his place once he reaches that time and place, known as college.
– Shannon Philpott
Blog Entry: Aug. 20, 2009
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Shannon Philpott-Sanders 
Really enjoyed this one. Your insight to make a very interesting read from a one comment.