Essay about The Beauty Myth - 616 Words

By: Kelly Winch The Beauty Myth, published by Doubleday in New York City, hit the shelves in 1992. Naomi Wolf wrote this 348-page book. Wolf attended Yale University and New College, Oxford University, where she was a Rhodes Scholar. Her essays have been printed in many well-known magazines and newspapers, including Esquire and the New York Times. The Beauty Myth was Wolfs first book. She has also written two other books, Fire With Fire and Promiscuities. Wolf is a recognized feminist. She has done a lot of writing and has spoken to many audiences about issues involving feminism. In The Beauty Myth, Wolfs basic thesis states that there is a connection between female liberation and female beauty. She writes: The more legal and†¦show more content†¦Flaws, wrinkles and other problems are airbrushed out of the picture. Wolf discusses the effect that these standards are having on women in the workplace. A womans beauty, or lack of it, can be used against her. In 1986, Mechelle Vinson lost a sexu al harassment case. Vinson was young and ‘beautiful and carefully dressed. The district court ruled that her appearance counted against her. (Wolf 38) In Hopkins v. Price-Waterhouse, Ms. Hopkins was denied a partnership because she needed to learn to ‘walk more femininely, talk more femininely, dress more femininely, and ‘wear makeup. She brought in more business than any other employee. (Wolf 39) I believe that this book has value and people from all walks of life should read it. We all need to become much more aware of how strong and how damaging this kind of media influence is. Women and men need to realize that there are companies in our culture that thrive on making us feel bad about ourselves, such as cosmetic companies, health clubs, clothing designers; anyone that is trying to change us. The book was well written and extremely interesting. The reviews on the back cover say it all; that this book is essential reading. I will recommend it to all of my friends. Hope fully those who are very self-doubting and considering cosmetic surgery will realize they are trying to fit into an abnormal standard of beauty. Word Count:Show MoreRelatedThe Beauty Myth Essay1960 Words   |  8 Pagesponder some part (or all) of their body. In other words, this months column is for 99.9% of the women reading it! Why is it that so many women feel they just dont 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 theRead MoreThe Beauty Myth By Naomi Wolf1435 Words   |  6 PagesThe novel The Beauty Myth by Naomi Wolf focuses highly on feminism in today’s times. 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Wolf argues that as women have shed traditional values of purity and submission, they have instead become obsessed with the beauty myth. â€Å"The more legal and material hindrances which women have brokenRead More Analysis of The Beauty Myth by Naomi Wolf Essay590 Words   |  3 PagesAnalysis of The Beauty Myth by Naomi Wolf The Beauty Myth, published by Doubleday in New York City, hit the shelves in 1992. Naomi Wolf wrote this 348-page book. Wolf attended Yale University and New College, Oxford University, where she was a Rhodes Scholar. Her essays have been printed in many well-known magazines and newspapers, including Esquire and the New York Times. The Beauty Myth was Wolf’s first book. She has also written two other books, Fire With Fire and PromiscuitiesRead MoreThe Beauty Myth: How Images of Beauty Are Used Against Women by Naomi Wolf1669 Words   |  7 Pageswell? What does beauty is only skin deep really mean? I always thought what made a person truly and genuinely beautiful, is whats on the inside. So often, we judge women on their appearance first, then their abilities. Did you ever wonder how this came about and why we all do this today? dont try to deny it, were all shallow and addicted to entertainment, its simply our culture, our way of life. Naomi wolf tries to explain the reasoning and ideas behind the beauty myth. She defines it andRead MoreFeminism And Popular Culture : Gender Relations And Feminist Issues1336 Words   |  6 Pagesand lives outside of the home. In fact, Naomi Wolf’s idea of these themes, as described in The Beauty Myth, can be perceived in popular portrayals of women, as their appearances are considered central to their role in the plot. Examples of this include the reality television show, The Bachelor, and the science fiction film, The Stepford Wives. Naomi Wolf’s popular discussion in her book, The Beauty Myth, was influential for its perspective on the pressures on women to conform to a standardized ideaRead MoreWomen s Beauty : A Woman s Worth With Her Beauty1487 Words   |  6 Pagesthere is nothing worse for a female character than being ugly and this is reflected in the beauty myth that women face outside fairy tales as well. Fairy tales equate a woman’s worth with her beauty. Americans do this as well by pitting beauty against internal traits and individuality. In doing this, women continue to receive their beauty myths from men, compete with other women and pass these unreachable beauty standards onto the next generation of women. With fairytales, it is what’s on the outsideRead MoreIs Beauty a Social Construct? Essay1240 Words   |  5 Pagesepidemic of eating disorders†. In 1991, Naomi wolf’s bestseller the beauty myth claimed the obsession with beauty was the result of a cultural conspiracy seeking to undo psychologically and covertly all the good things that feminism did for women. She argues that ideology of beauty is the last, best belief system that keeps male dominance intact and that womens magazines have played a pivotal role in the selling of the beauty myth. If, as Jean Kilbourne suggests, the media and advertising teach usRead MorePersonal Statement : Personal Media1730 Words   |  7 Pageslook that way as well. I try to remind myself that I am fine just the way that I am, but it tends to slip my mind when I look at those pictures. The Beauty Myth written by Naomi Wolf states, â€Å"We are in the midst of a violent backlash against feminism that uses images of female beauty as a political weapon against women’s advancement: the beauty myth† (Wolf). This explains one of the dangers that the media reinforces and wires into young women’s minds. And it is harmful to not only young women, butRead MoreAnalysis Of Being A Man 888 Words   |  4 Pages Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, or so it seems. Society implements the standard of beauty in our everyday lives. It controls what roles women are expected to perform. A similar anticipation goes for men, but for â€Å"masculinity’. Every individual man is supposed to be masculine and have some sort of manly quality. Paul Theroux in â€Å"Being a Man† discusses how as a male, one is expected to meet society’s standards of masculinity. He as well mentions his reasoning on why that principle of behavior