<p>In response to recent threads on CC, </p>
<p>THE BEAUTY MYTH, by Naomi Wolf<br>
This month’s column is for women who believe their thighs are too big, their breasts are too small, their hair is boring, their skin is flawed, their body is shaped funny, or their clothes are outdated. This month’s column is for women who believe their life would improve if they could lose 15 pounds; if they could afford contact lenses, that new perfume or anti-cellulite concoction; if they got a nose job, a face lift, a tummy tuck, etc. This month’s column is for women who feel shame or unhappiness when they ponder some part (or all) of their body. In other words, this month’s column is for 99.9% of the women reading it! </p>
<p>Why is it that so many women feel they just don’t measure up when it comes to their looks? A new book entitled The Beauty Myth–How Images of Beauty Are Used Against Women, provides some answers. If you are a woman who recognized herself in the above paragraph, or if you are a man who wants to understand more about the dynamics of media vs. self-worth, then run, do not walk, to the nearest bookstore or library and read this book. </p>
<p>“The more legal and material hindrances women have broken through, the more strictly and heavily and cruelly images of female beauty have come to weigh upon us…During the past decade, women breached the power structure; meanwhile, eating disorders rose exponentially and cosmetic surgery became the fastest-growing specialty…pornography became the main media category, ahead of legitimate films and records combined, and thirty-three thousand American women told researchers that they would rather lose ten to fifteen pounds than achieve any other goal…More women have more money and power and scope and legal recognition than we have ever had before; but in terms of how we feel about ourselves physically, we may actually be worse off than our unliberated grandmothers.”</p>
<p>Wolf carefully walks us through the various realms of life in which the Beauty Myth has taken it’s toll. I’ll discuss two of them: In the workplace, a woman has no clear legal recourse–her beauty, or lack of it, can be used against her: In one 1986 case, a woman lost a sexual harassment claim because she dressed “too beautifully.” In another, a woman was denied partnership in a top ten accounting firm “because she needed to learn to walk, talk and dress more femininely.” In another case, the judge ruled that the woman rightfully lost her job because it was “inappropriate for a supervisor of women to dress like a woman.” Over and over, Wolf supplies precedent law in which the woman is judged to be too beautiful, too ugly, too old, too fat, dressed too nice, not dressed nice enough. In other words, it is legal for a woman to be hired or fired generally on the basis of her physical appearance. </p>
<p>The Beauty Myth has made it’s most serious impact in the realm of women’s health. 90 to 95 percent of anorexics and bulimics are women. </p>
<p>This book is important to all because we need to become much more aware of how prevalent and damaging this kind of media influence is. It is very insidious–so much so that we accept it’s pronouncements without a thought. Energy that could be used to further personal and cultural goals is dissipated in feelings of self-doubt and self-hatred. How many people have gotten excited about a new project and then thought, “Who am I to do that? They’ll think I’m too old, too fat, too wierd-looking…” We are often turned away from our true soul paths toward worshiping false gods instead: the perfect face, body, or the brass ring at the top of the corporate ladder. Women and men need to wake up to the fact that there are forces in our culture who’s only goal is to make you feel bad about yourself–so you’ll buy the “new season” of clothing, hair coloring, or membership in the health club, etc., etc., etc. Who’s gonna win folks? Us or them???</p>
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