We all know the standard idea of what is considered sexy in today's society, and let's face it, almost none of us measure up. Women in general do not come close to looking like a magazine cover model. Even the women on the covers don't actually look like that thanks to Photoshop and other image editing programs. This creative process by media empire moguls is pretty much fictional on all counts. It's time we stop placing emphasis on women's appearances and start focusing on the real deal... what is within our minds. SMART is SEXY!
Some very smart and self-assured women date and flirt with similarly smart men, and it brings to mind the stereotype of studious girls that are silent, composed, and commonly considered, "mousy." I would like to believe that the cliché of an elderly, lonely, single woman in a comfy chair, enclosed by cats, with a lace wrap and a book in her lap is disappearing now that we have reached 2015. Smart girls are no longer dateless and destined to be alone. They are blazing a trail and raising a new standard of sexy for all women as their intelligence elevates them to be the CEOs and world leaders of today. The real kicker is: instead of looking, you must listen.
The studious girls I know now are talkative, open-minded, and intelligent. As I grow older, I realize that the banter and conversations that previously held my interest now seem trivial. I have discovered as I grow older and socialize with a wider variety of people, that intelligence and smarts are WAY more engaging than looks.
The future generation of female leaders is represented by 8-15 year old girls who are now, unfortunately, learning from an early age that the key to validation is looking hot. These little girls spend hours agonizing over an Instagram post of a recent selfie that has been triple filtered using three different applications. Then, she sits and waits for the "likes." Their validation on social media is more entertaining than attending the cool science camp offered at their school. Sadly, to them, being smart is not "cool."
The opportunity to learn is all around us, not just in the classroom. It's in the seemingly random conversations we have with strangers, acquaintances and friends. However, the more obsessed we are with our physical appearance, the less we will seize these opportunities to expand our minds.
When I identify myself as a "nerd" or tell someone how much I love going to school and learning, I get an interesting assortment of reactions. For example, there are the guys who actually do a double take when I publicly recognize the importance of my GPA. Then there are those girls who lose interest the minute I start babbling about the latest theory we discussed in my Psychology class. I do not look like the conventional, socially-stunted nerd with no friends or fashion taste, so this tends to put them off. Our society seems to be having difficulty accepting the idea that "smart" and "sexy" can be wrapped in the same package. It's time for us smart girls to prove them wrong while setting a new trend for tweens and teens. I'd love to see young girls feeling proud of their accomplishments and being brave enough to attend that "lame" science camp.
Ashton Kutcher said it best...
"The sexiest thing in the entire world is being really smart. And being thoughtful. And being generous. Everything else is crap! I promise you! It's just crap that people try to sell to you to make you feel like less. So don't buy it. Be smart, be thoughtful, and be generous."
