| Dreaming In Glossywood: Do I Need A Hot Latina Body? |
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Written by Ruth Lo' Vaca
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 What do Eva Mendes, Jennifer Lopez, Penelope Cruz and Salma Hayek all have in common besides being influential A-list Latinas in Hollywood? A HOT LATINA BODY! When I was five years old, I told my mother I wanted to be Miss Universe. I assumed it was a lifetime and full-time job. I also assumed this would be a better and easier career to openly aspire to and have my family's support in, rather than my eagerness of being in show business, like I also discovered at that age. My mother never told me I couldn't be Miss Universe. She enjoyed watching me do the "Miss America wave" in her nightgowns. She encouraged my love for high heels, lacy gloves, hats, hair, lipstick, and once, strutting to my sibling's school in her over-sized high heels. It didn't take long for me to forget about the Miss Universe pageant and for my mom to admit some of those girls looked like they had extra chicken cutlets in their "chi chis" and needed to eat "un taquito" before one of them fainted on stage.
A few years ago I told her about my plans to go into the entertainment business, and just this year, as an entertainer. She has never told me I can't do it. Except she did slyly mention "Que cuerpazos tienen la Salma y la Penelope." Simple translation? Salma Hayek and Penelope Cruz have banging bodies. I started to wonder about the physical pressures of pleasing the Glossywood standard as a woman. All of my favorite Latina women in Hollywood happened to be incredibly good looking. The ever ambitious and mogul Jennifer Lopez managed to bring back THE BUTT and hips in a Kate Moss world. Would I have to start doing squats, plaster the fridge with Hayek photos, and thanking God for my hips? I kept postponing my headshots until this week in fear that I hadn't lost enough weight over the last six months, hating my imperfect hair, and longing to wake up with Michelle Obama arms. I was scared the photographer would ask me to suck it in a little and it wouldn't be enough. Yes, I'm a girl, and I have slight image issues. Who doesn't? The good news? Despite the pressures media pushes on public figures to look their best 24/7 and take off baby weight within THREE months is the kind of thing that I like to challenge. Luckily, so does my manager. I'm 5'2" on a really good posture day. I'm 5'0" on my drivers license, because it was my way of letting everyone know there is no difference between one or two inches. I won't tell you what my weight is because I haven't watched enough TYRA SHOW episodes to be confident enough for that. However, I'm confident enough to trust in my talent, spark, intelligence, and ambition to get started. If my body gets toner, tighter, skinnier, or leaner it will be because I want it to look that way, NOT because a casting director thinks I need to look like a size 2 or 4. Salma Hayek, my Latina in Glossywood hero, had her own obstacles breaking through in Hollywood. She had to proof that she had more than good looks and what was then considered, an inhibiting accent. I'm about to prove there's a lot of talent in my petite and curvy package. Glossywood is about to look beyond my height and weight. Let's leave those details for arrests, shall we? As Karrie Vach said when I confronted her about my looks, "All you really need is the IT factor! Work it, Girlie" I'm pretty sure "IT" goes beyond body! Corazones. Ruth Lo' Vaca CHECK OUT THE PREVIEW FOR THE NEXT VLOG/BLOG BELOW!!! MY PREPARATION for MY HEADSHOTS! |
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