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I go to the gym regularly and it makes me angry.

I like having music to work out to and telly to watch to distract me so the time passes quickly. But I have a problem. The problem is the music videos. I can never understand how the male and females characters in the videos are in the same place. The men are always dressed for winter and the women are invariably in a bikini. There’s just something not quite right about it. And if that wasn’t enough it seems to be a common theme for the bikini clad women to be basically shaking their rear ends in the general direction of the over dressed men. And I have to ask myself, ‘where did feminism go so wrong?’.

I thought women had fought to be strong so that they were no longer subservient to men, but were equal. Somewhere, someone has managed to take and twist this so women now use their ‘power’ to draw all men unto themselves through their irresistible sexual allure. Somehow I don’t think that’s what was intended when women were fighting for equality. To me it looks more like the women are the men’s play things. And yet, girls and women everywhere seem to be conforming to this.

Outward beauty and allure has become the be all and end all. As women who are seeking equality shouldn’t we wish to show that we are about more than  appearance? That we have much to offer society in terms of expertise, knowledge and skills? To want to progress and move forwards in our personal development? To be taken seriously.

And all around I see girls and women being duped into thinking they will gain more self-esteem through attention brought about by demonstrating their sex appeal than they would through demonstrating intelligence, strength of character, standing by their beliefs and convictions and working hard at whatever they do. But it doesn’t work does it? And more and more girls and women feel insecure and lack self-esteem because they’re searching in the wrong place, working to the wrong goal.

And I say to you – women and girls – don’t be fooled by what the media feeds you. Instead look to your creator. See that he designed you – every detail. That makes you perfect in design. Someone once told me that if I look in the mirror and complain about what I see and how I wish I could change it, I’m insulting God because he designed me as I am!

If your time was up tomorrow what would you rather be remembered for: how great you look in a bikini and how many heads you turn, OR, would you rather be remembered for lighting up a room with the love of Christ exuding from you as you reach into people’s lives with his love? Wouldn’t you rather ‘become blameless and pure, children of god without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe as you hold out the word of life’ (Philippians 3:15-16)? And here’s some good advice: ‘Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men’.

From now on, when I see these images and videos that make me angry my plan is to pray for womankind because I don’t just want to be angry – I want to care.