St. Louis area resident and former model Leah Darrow has changed her definition of “beauty” over the years. Now, she defines beauty in two basic words – holiness and wholeness.
“It’s looking at ourselves for who we are and being happy and accepting that,” Darrow said. “True beauty is nothing that we can put on ourselves … it’s the beauty of the soul. That’s the beauty that actually changes hearts and transforms the world.”
On Wednesday’s St. Louis on the Air, host Don Marsh talked with Darrow about her new book, “The Other Side of Beauty,” which invites readers to look at the “real meaning of beauty” and attempts to expose how popular culture ties together someone’s worth with their appearance.
“[Popular culture] reminds us of all the flaws that we have. Ones that maybe we’re aware of and then maybe some that we had no idea that we had until [popular culture] mentioned them or suggested such flaws,” Darrow said. “And then we look to [[popular culture] for the fix.”
But she said that those attitudes are fading and that perceptions of what’s beautiful are changing for the better and becoming more inclusive.
Darrow was a contestant on the television show “America’s Next Top Model.” She said the experience left her empty, but it led her to start thinking about what she wants to get out of life.
“[The show] is unneeded competition and comparison in this world,” she said. “The world doesn’t need more pretty pictures of pretty girls … we have a lot more to offer.”
Listen to hear Darrow’s story about how she quit modeling and became re-energized in her Catholic faith:
St. Louis on the Air brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. St. Louis on the Air host Don Marsh and producers Mary Edwards, Alex Heuer and Lara Hamdan give you the information you need to make informed decisions and stay in touch with our diverse and vibrant St. Louis region.
