Beauty Mark

The Beauty Mark film had a strong impact on me. I think the timing of the film was perfect because it really tied together many of the main themes that our class focused on this semester. I think Diane’s message was very strong: believing in yourself is the first step toward feeling comfortable with who you are. This is never easy and having parents or friends who push you past your limits or constantly tell you that you are not good enough makes self-confidence almost impossible to obtain. As many of the readings throughout the semester have taught us, several factors contribute to our self-efficacy and our feelings about ourselves. Some of these factors; including family, friends, and the media, were all well demonstrated throughout the film. Diane’s parents’ constant pushing, her friends’ relentless training, and the media’s portrayal of what women should look like all played a huge role in Diane’s feeling of inadequacy. Her personal story had a great affect, I believe, on the class because it was something we all could relate to. Throughout the semester, we read about the triumphs and hardships that women in sport go through, but actually seeing and being told one woman’s personal story was very powerful. I feel truly blessed having seen this movie and it really shed some light on a lot of issues that people go through on a day-to-day basis. Her story seems extreme, but thousands of women go through similar situations all the time. It takes just one woman to stand up and tell her story to make a difference in another person’s life who may be dealing with the same issues. I applaud Diane for putting herself out there and exposing many of her darkest secrets. The movie was a selfless act aimed at helping others and those are often the most difficult movies to make.

-Shawna Wilson
T, Th 9:30