The Beauty Myth: How Images of Beauty Are Used Against Women
by Naomi Wolf
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Book Summary Information
Author: Naomi WolfEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2002-09-24
ISBN: 0060512180
Number of pages: 368
Publisher: Harper Perennial
Book Reviews of The Beauty Myth: How Images of Beauty Are Used Against Women
Book Review: A Very Important Book
Summary: 4 Stars
The Beauty Myth is a must have for every woman in the world and the men who love them. Naomi Wolf hit the nail on the head about the isolating effect the beauty myth has on women, ie: women viewing each other with suspicion, women enacting painful, masochistic rituals to be "thin enough", "young-looking enough" and "pretty enough", while blinding women to the larger reality of the world like workplace inequality, economic inequality, lack of political power and the lack of intellectual freedom. How can they pay attention when all they can think about are their physical "flaws"? Except that's exactly where the powers of the society wants them - beaten down, fearful of oneself and each other and generally viewing oneself of low self worth. When you feel like that, you are no threat to the oppressive forces in society. In short, I completely agree with Naomi that the beauty myth has served as a distraction for women to keep them from realizing their full potential. Make sure that your teenage daughter has a copy of this book! It will be the most rebellious and courageous thing she's ever done - to face up to the ugly realities that are stacked against her. To dare to be different than pop culture's dictates.
As for men, this book can illuminate to them how women think. If any man has ever wondered "what was she thinking?" or "why can't she be happy with her weight/hair/thighs, etc..." this book is for you. Especially if you find yourself unable to reach her and help her through her self-imposed exile and depression. While it's not a magic bullet to break through that prison, it helps if you speak the language.
Another strength of her book is the historical approach to attitudes of sexism. They are so deeply ingrained that many readers will be shocked to find out that these attitudes aren't "moral or "natural" but rather, are leftover wrong thinking from earlier days. For example, the idea that women must suffer simply for being female (ie: able to have babies) is an ancient poison. No doubt, we are seeing this play out as anti-choicers bomb clinics, take to the courts and other tools at their disposal to make sure that women go back to being unable to choose when they want to have a baby, because suffering is the female way. Which comes from their desire to punish women for enjoying sex, which is another ancient, ingrained attitude. When viewed in historical context, their attitudes don't seem so holy. (They never were) Merely unexamined prejudices. (Which unfortunately, affects people other than themselves.)
The only criticism of this book that I have is that I wish the book made more of an effort to distinguish between deliberate malice against women versus impersonal indifference. At times, this book makes it seem like every injustice against women is a result of conspiracy by the powers that be. But more likely, they are the result of indifference and unawareness. Sure, the end result is the same - women feeling down-trodden and sapped of all sense of power and agency, but it helps to clarify which problems can be solved with more awareness and education, and which problems can be better solved with passionate protests and political solutions that right these injustices.
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