[IR] Spanx: The Modern-Day Cape for Super Women

We live in a day and age where mini skirts and bandeau bras are the center of controversy when it comes to discussing how clothing aids in the objectification of women.  According to the endless advertisements we see on a daily basis, everything is about what's on the outside.  Of course, any person with an ounce of respect for what's on the inside of a person is able to recognize that personality and actions are much more valuable than what others see physically.  But what happens when a layer in between the outside and the in is introduced?  What's above the heart but below the skimpy dress (or conservative dress)?  That's right, I'm talking about Spanx.

If you don't know what Spanx are (and therefore are most likely of the male gender), let me educate you for a moment.  Spanx are a line of underwear (bras, slips, tights, and undies) that are designed to squeeze your muffin tops and chub rolls so that they are less... noticeable.  The inventor of Spanx spent a mere $5,000 on investment when creating the product and is now the youngest female self-made billionaire in the world.  This fact shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone who knows the sneaky tricks and overall popularity of Spanx.  Teenagers and aged women alike are drawn to Spanx like Pooh to a honey pot.  The question is whether or not these underwear products are anti-progressive in the feminist movement.  Orit Avishai seems to think so, and I would like to challenge her stance against Spanx.

As a notably overweight teenage girl, I can confidently say that I am no stranger to seeing "unsightly rolls" when I look in the mirror.  It's whatever, really, I'm cool with the extra chub here and there.  By no means am I not self conscious about my looks (what girl isn't self conscious, let's be honest) but I have refused to let my appearance determine my own self worth, which is why I can profess my love for shapewear and tell you that this is not a result of my desire to mask my own insecurities.  This goes along with my FIRM belief that most girls do not purchase nor wear certain clothing because they think it will attract boys, but rather because it makes them feel confident in their own skin.  This is parallel to the use of makeup; most often, a girl wears concealer and eyeliner and blush because it brings out the beauty that is already on her face.  Both makeup and shapewear, in my opinion, serve as enhancers of natural beauty, not camouflagers.  

People who would challenge the idea of being confident wearing certain clothing for the sake of just being happy are clearly not aware of the line that is drawn between being a certain way for someone else and being a certain way for oneself.  You know how I know I'm not gaining confidence from my Spanx through the belief that it will make me more attractive boys?  First of all, boys are hardly ever the first thing on my mind.  Don't get me wrong, I'm still a teenage girl with an interest in cute boys every once and a while, but what I put on in the morning is for me, not anyone else.  Another reason is because I would wear Spanx to bed (ergo in absolute solitude) if it wouldn't feel so strange wearing shaping tights under my pajama pants.  In the end, if a girl puts on a pair of Spanx and is able to look in the mirror and say, "Damn, I look good" without even thinking about what a boy will think when he sees such a sight, then for goodness sake, let her be empowered by the way she looks.

Article: http://www.cnn.com/2012/06/08/opinion/avishai-spanx-women/index.html