If you were to ask me what my ideal woman would be, it would not take me long to reflect; for my answer would be the same as it would had you asked me about a man. A woman, like a man, is a fellow human being - a person. Therefore, my ideal person is one of honour and courage; a person who is trustworthy and idealistic. While I may have preferences as to physical characteristics, these are secondary and temporary.
When I think of an ideal woman, I think of people like Rosa Parks, who in December of 1955 refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus, to make room for a white passenger. I think of a young woman, Anne Frank, who spent two years hiding in an attic, during WWII, before her capture and death in March 1945. Anne´s diary, translated into 67 different languages, has been an inspiration to so many. I think of contralto Marian Anderson, who despite segregation, worked scrubbing steps before finally singing her way out of poverty in South Philadelphia.
I think of the many millions of women around the world, working in factories, shops and offices; in hospitals, hotels and restaurants. I think of those women struggling to bring up families in these difficult times. I think of my own mother, who strove against all the odds to provide me with an education and who instilled in me a love for others.
I find it an insult to our humanity when the advertising, fashion and cosmetic industries, who in the interest of profits, objectify women treat and them like uneducated brainless human accessories.