10.15.2010

Fashion Friday: Movie Star


In this photograph it looks like the movie star is making her rounds, meeting her fans. 

I've always thought that my mother looked like a movie star. I suppose that's something women say about their mothers because your mom is your first example of what a beautiful woman should look like. When my mother was young she was often approached by film industry people who wanted her to model or act. My grandfather was deeply against it. In Taiwan in the 60s, being an actor was akin to being a prostitute. She never told me if being a moviestar interested her but she'd relay the story to prove that she was indeed more beautiful than others and that her looks deeply affected her life. 

My mother insisted that being beautiful was a blessing and a curse. She was able to charm my dad  and always had admirers. But there was a dark side. She grew up bullied by classmates. In junior high her peers trashed her things and taunted her. No one wanted to be friends with a beautiful girl. It's too much of a threat.

When my father was still alive my parents had neighborhood friends, other couples from Taiwan with whom they frequently ate out and played mahjong. My parents made weekly social calls and went to house parties where the men talked about hi-fi equipment over basketball games and the women gossiped in the kitchen. After my father passed away no one called my mother any more. It was odd at first but she understood. She was a free agent, a beautiful one that nobody wanted near their husband. While my mother just wanted the company of friends to fill her days, she was shunned and heartbroken. It was a familiar feeling and she knew exactly why. 

2 comments:

Ling said...

One of my fave posts on this blog.

Raina Lee said...

Thanks Ling.

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