Beauty Myth: How Images of Beauty Are Used Against Women

A reviewer

I'm not an expert in feminist literature and don't have any strong opinions on the subject. I found this to be a very interesting read, though quite a bit of it bordered on the unpleasant and the disturbing--rape, violence, surgical violation of the body. It also treads the line between the scholarly and the general interest book, although it's probably much closer to the latter. Very well written, it felt a bit tragic, poetic, philosophical, and almost Freudian in style. A general criticism: could it be that some women seek to beautify themselves, even in an extreme manner, somewhat independent of modern societal, or patriarchical, influences? An evolutionary biologist might argue that some if not most women might have an emphasis on beauty that is hardwired into their brains, and we are simply observing a manifestation of that inherent nature in the modern environment.

4 out of 5 people found this review helpful.

Men must read this, too

I thought I had an idea of what is going on, but this book brought me to almost every dark corner of society's twisted 'economy of false ideals'. This book is over a decade old. Imagine if the statistics were updated, as things have gotten way worse. R.I.P. Naomi would roll over in her grave.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Finally, the truth

This book tells it like it was, is and will be. There are no suprises here, just cold hard facts. It exposes the real reason many women are unhappy. The author is not afraid to say exactly what it feels like to be tormented & misunderstood. I recommend this book for all women & especially for those living in older or traditional families.

2 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

Excellent Book!!!

I have had so much resentment toward this societies view of what women 'should be' that I allowed myself to become over weight. Why bother being perfect if these piggish American men won't hold up their end of the bargain! Ever notice how we see an average to ugly man with a beautiful woman? For too long women haven't demanded in their lives better looking men and settle for what society dishes out as 'normal' for women to want.The striving for beauty in women and economic wealth in men,creates a society of vast inequality and depression in women.Many women are depressed because we are made to feel we are NEVER pretty or thin enough to please the men.What are we! Mere toys!Yet the men demand little of themselves in the looks department and this is very frustrating for women.One sided and sexist for sure! Buy the book and have a real eye opener into how sexist this society actually is.Also this perpetuated sterotype about men being visual really has to be done away with.It only adds to the problems between the sexes.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

a definite must read for women and men

This book is something feminists will love, curious readers will find very interesting, and doubters will find mind boggling. The only downfall I felt after reading it is that many of the claims are not directly cited, and because some of them are so extreme and unheard of, it behooves the source to define where the information is coming from. Not that I think the author wrote any false claims, and there is an index to go to (a lengthy one), but there seems to be a lot of shocking facts with no backing besides the authors word. On the positive note, this book makes one really open their mind to the modern conception of beauty, and possibly help them work through their own struggles of conforming to American standards of beauty. I would like to comment on thoughts such as the one posed by a young reviewer here- the one who believes that people who just look at an ideal female image and want to vomit are 'mentally ill.' Many young and older people legitimately come to conclusions such as those, but they are unfinished, ignorant thoughts. This whole beauty myth can take years and much intellectual curiosity to understand. Many powers that be work behind closed doors to conjure up these widespread images of perfected beauty, and the bombardment of images become part of many people's subconscious. I have little doubt that young teenagers who think that this beauty myth is simple will have a totally different understanding years down the road with much reading and critical investigation. Wolf offers a mind blowing view of how society's powers that be actively work to discipline females to follow a pre-determined standard of 'beauty.'

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

JUST READ WHAT I HAVE TO SAY

its not about what other people think im 30 pounds overweight & im perfectly happy with my body but ive decided to go on a diet because its healthier & id like to enjoy my body to the fullest extent. although i do believe that magazines like vogue put pressure on women to weight 120 pds. but vogue has nothing to do with anorexics or bulemics, you dont become anorexic by looking through a magazine its based on their childhood, how they were raised, what exactly is going on through their heads & people like that need to see a psychiatrist. if you look at a picture of a women and it makes you want to stick you hand down your throat or stop eating you have mental problems that need to be solved through a professional. and im only 14 years old, i know 'oh she's a child she doesnt know' trust me dont scwander your life thinking everything if sexist do what you have to do to feel good about your self & being in shape & healthy is one step.

1 out of 2 people found this review helpful.

So True! So Sad!

Women have finally reached economic and sexual emancipation, only to be locked into a new prison--that of the standard of beauty, which is changeable to suit political and power purposes and has been perpetrated on us by the advertising industry and this society. And it has not happened only to younger women, but to ALL women. I can't tell you how many women I've talked to who are unhappy with their own bodies, can't enjoy their sexuality because of that self=consciousness with their bodies, and are always waiting 'until I'm thin' to feel connected with their own lives. I've also known anorexics and bulemics and women who diet until they faint, to end up only with anemia or osteoporosis. And the health industry has bought the whole mantra and keeps pushing it on us, even though women were meant to have a certain amount of fat and their hormones stop working properly when they don't have it, causing all sorts of illness. Sexual emancipation has actually been used against us to turn us into sex slaves, especially the younger women. How many young women have I spoken to who feel 'forced' into oral or anal sex or S&M and other things that they feel uncomfortable with but they don't want to 'lose their boyfriends'. I can't begin to tell you. Young women I talk to are not even surprised by rape anymore; it's almost as if it's expected, just another fact of life. And we call that civilized? Women are all disgusted by 'cellulite', but according to this book the term was actually invented by Vogue Magazine as recently as 1973. Before that it was just natural female flesh that changed with childbearing and with age. Until women wake up and take begin loving themselves as we are, we will never be really free. In fact, sometimes speaking with women today I feel they actually have less freedom than prior generations, because they have been locked into that cage of being everything to everybody, perfect wives, perfect mothers, perfect housewives, perfect worker bees who struggle only to hit the glass ceiling, perfect beauties, and sexual dynamos. And it's never enough, because no real live woman can compete with the illusion that pornographic magazines and film present--air brushed, and prettified, enlarged here and made smaller there by computer and placed on a lifeless page or on celluloid where there is no personality or humanity to deal with, no wants and no needs and is no trouble to male fantasy. What makes it doubly sad is that men lose also. Instead of having two adults come together in mutual love and respect because they want to be together, they come together out of a natural need that has been distorted on both sides to where it's barely recognizable. Naomi has said it all in this book. It should be mandatory reading for every woman and every woman who has a daughter.

1 out of 1 people found this review helpful.

Lynx

Thank you. I bark. (Where r bios.)

Snow

"What is the name of the pack?"she asked.

Wolfstar

Bios are in res 7. Pack name is bigtimepack

Beauty Myths.

I felt this book was completely accurate and still is today. It provides insight on innacurate beauty myths and challenges women face daily. I found it to be a very interesting book and almost hard to read at times because I became angry with false statements made. I recommend every woman and man read this to help understand controversial issues between both sexes.

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