Christina Hendricks is, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful women I have ever seen. I’m a straight female, but her femininity makes me feel almost inadequate, like I’m a little boy in comparison. Yes, she has ample curves. Her breasts are very large and her hips resemble a beautiful sphere. But that’s not the only thing that’s so special about her, in my opinion. Her voice is like velvet, she’s classy and she’s feminine, and her face is pretty much perfect.
OH, AND SHE CAN ACT, AND SPEAK, AND BE A NORMAL HUMAN BEING.
People focus on her exterior, the superficial. Christina Hendricks is – or should be – recognised for her acting skills, or at least, recognised for something more than her breasts.
Christina was recently in Australia to promote a new campaign for SpecSavers. In a recent interview with Kate Waterhouse, Ms Hendricks was asked to tell “the most inspiring story” about any full-figured women/fans she has met. Christina looked off camera to – what I assume was – her publicist/manager/agent/lackie, who tells Kate that they had asked not to talk about Christina’s figure – FOR ONCE IN HER LIFE – during the interview. Ms Waterhouse nodded, confusedly, and asked the same question in a different, bumbled syntax. Christina said, “You did it again!” and Ms Waterhouse still didn’t get it. When she finally understand what was going on, Ms Waterhouse steered the interview into more mundane territory about tourism and Australia and eating and fashion and cardboard and anything else more boring than cardboard.
Ms Waterhouse made an innocent mistake (however, as an aspiring journalist myself, I believe Kate’s questions were hardly that of a journalistic pedigree. They were awfully shallow, mundane and boring).
It’s not her questions that have me somewhat riled up, it’s an article she published after receiving copious amounts of criticism for the awkward interview.
The defence article, which I think has been deleted because I can’t find it anymore, was published in Sydney Morning Herald.
Ms Waterhouse wrote:
“I hope she realises that refusing to own up to the fact that she is full-figured only breeds more insecurity on body acceptance. Unfortunately, she has now made the term full-figured a dirty word.”
No, Kate Waterhouse, Christina Hendricks is not in denial about her figure, whether it’s “full” or not. Maybe, perhaps maybe, Ms Hendricks just wants to be recognised for something more than her breasts.
It’s easy for me to talk about how much I love Christina Hendrick’s figure, but this defence article made me realise that, if I was constantly objectified like Ms Hendricks, I would feel terrible. I don’t even feel comfortable showing off my own curves because I live in a male-dominated household. It’s not an oppressive or patriarchal household at all. However, I don’t want to be ogled, objectified or patronised by other people in society because I’m showing off my figure. And even if I did flaunt my assets, I would still want to be recognised for more than my body. And all females – and males – are entitled to be respected for more than their bodies.
Ms Waterhouse’s article is an unjustified attack on Ms Hendricks, where she has tried to “turn the tables” on her. However, Ms Hendricks didn’t get angry at Kate Waterhouse, she just politely pointed out that she didn’t want to answer questions about her figure during this specific interview.
To me, Ms Waterhouse is perpetuating “women hating women” and she’s trying to set up an argument against Ms Hendricks for all the wrong reasons.
Females have worked too hard, for too long, and we’ve come this far, so why does Kate Waterhouse have to be so negative to Christina Hendricks just because Christina wants to talk about something – anything (reading glasses, for crying out loud) – other than her tits?
Watch this PSA, a group of women – celebrities and non-celebrities – lip-syncing Lesley Gore’s “You don’t own me” and listen to Lesley’s message at the end.
Women, let’s not hate each other.