Laugh at Yourself – It Makes You More Likeable

It seems everyone (here and here to show you just a few) is talking about the upcoming issue of Newsweek featuring Presidential contender Michele Bachmann on the cover. An “unflattering” photo is not a method for discriminating against gender. That it is Bachmann’s photo is not stereotyping a characteristic of the female gender. In fact, declaring that a woman candidate must look pretty on the cover of a magazine could be considered the gender biased position. Since I do not pay much attention to Ms. Bachmann and could not pick her out of a crowd, it was not readily apparent that this cover shot did not reflect a possible storyline. “I see the White House” or “Take me Jesus” come to mind.

At my house if an unflattering picture of you shows up, it is fodder for a little self-deprecating humor, which we know is a top-notch communication tool that attracts people and makes an individual more likeable. Instead of whining like a girl, Ms. Bachmann should pull out all her bad photos and do a “bad photo scrapbook.” And if she does not have enough of her own, I know plenty of women who are not afraid of their “bad side” who would be willing to share.