Perceptions of beauty vary across cultures, but when it comes down to it, beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

A panel discussion held Wednesday, sponsored by the Ames-ISU YWCA, focused on perceptions of beauty across cultures.

The panelists were: Keji Ojelade, senior in elementary education from Nigeria, Nguyet Thu Nguyen, from Vietnam, facilitator Emilie Biet, graduate in liberal arts and sciences from France, and Catrice Woods, representative for black women.

Each of the women addressed important aspects of beauty in their respective cultures.

Ojelade said full-figured women are considered beautiful in Nigeria because this is considered a sign of fertility.

“In my country, you can eat whatever you want,” she said. “We don’t dwell on being thin.”

Ojelade said physical appearance is the first thing that attracts people. However, she said character plays a major role in beauty in her culture.

“You need a good character to back you up or everything else is fruitless,” she said.

Nguyen said women in Vietnam are concerned with the darkness of their skin.

“Ladies would rather be light-skinned,” she said. “Dark-skinned women wish to be light-skinned.”

She said the ideal body image in Vietnam is a slender figure.

Biet said in France, there is a major emphasis on how women dress.

“I feel relaxed here because people can dress how they want,” she said.

She said French women use a lot of cosmetics also.

“In France, there’s a lot of focus on beauty products,” she said. “There are many shops, and there’s lots of money spent on this.”

Biet agreed with the other panelists that personality is the most important part of beauty.

“A good personality is important,” she said. “Beauty is not only physical.”

She also said media representations of beauty aren’t healthy for anyone because models are too thin.

“Just smile, look clean and healthy,” she said. “Don’t try to look like someone else.”

Woods said she wasn’t comfortable speaking for all black women, but to her, beauty is very personal.

“Beauty is about taking pride in your appearance,” she said.

Woods expressed concern about the potentially damaging effects of beauty advertisements.

“I’m really concerned about young girls in the U.S.,” she said. “This may be a natural process, but it seems like girls are going overboard.”