Stacy Nadeau (on the right)

By Morgan McCann (Whetstone Staff Writer)

Stacy Nadeau was just a typical college student, a psychology major and had a job at a local hair salon.

A model agent found her and wanted her to be a part of the campaign. She was hesitant at first but soon became one of six Dove girls in the soap company’s ad campaign that says it’s fighting unrealistic notions of beauty.

Nadeau is part of the Dove campaign for Real Women, Real Curves that started in 2004. She came to Wesley Sept. 27 as part of the FYE freshman year experience lecture series.

The purpose of the Dove campaign, she said, is to celebrate the natural beauty in all women and inspire them to have the confidence to be comfortable with themselves.

“We are our own worst enemy,” Nadeau said.

She said typical women put themselves down daily and hope to be like the women they see on the cover of magazines. But, she said that even the skinniest models get airbrushed and made to look perfect.

Stacy Nadeau

Freshman Nichole Reichenbach loved the Nadeau’s talk.;

“I feel like you shouldn’t compare yourself to others,” she said. “Your beauty is inside of you, not others. I would rather feel beautiful then look it.”

This campaign soon made big news: the picture of the six women was posted on billboards and they got a lot of publicity in newspapers and TV shows.

Nadeau talked about how women should feel beautiful at their own best healthy self.

“I eat well, work out, and have splurges,” she said.

Freshman Kayla Osborne said she felt like the things she said were true because there are too many people with bad out looks on themselves.

“For me, I feel comfortable in my own skin and I don’t look down on myself,” she said.

Another freshman, Nicole Aurelien, said, “Her speech made me feel a little better about myself, but it will take some time for me to be more confident.”