Analysis Of Susan Sontag's The Double Standard Of Aging

How can someone in 2017 understand what was going on inside the body of an aging woman in 1972? By reading Susan Sontag’s, “The Double Standard of Aging,” an individual can comprehend what the author portrays the women of her day to be, self-conscious and apparently uncomfortable with their appearance. It is true, that women are looked at, and often treated differently than men are. For example, if a woman were to wear a dress that reveals her thigh, it would be considered, by many, to be an act of sexual behavior. However, if a man were to wear an equivalent piece of clothing (for example, shorts), no one would say anything, the simple thought one would think is that it is hot outside. Most of society would not judge the man, but

everyone would criticize the woman. Ms. Sontag asserted in her article that this stance is exactly the problem. There is a concept that a woman’s age “slowly destroys” her, and “a double standard about aging that denounces women with special severity.” Ms. Sontag’s interests were not only correct but were necessary to society back then.
In Ms.

Sontag’s article, she characterizes modern society today as the correct manner for how women must be represented. There is no need to look further than the closest billboard to see today’s society’s beautiful woman with her necessary quality. The demanded characteristic of women places a disadvantage to them compared to men, who are not “graded” or treated depending on their appearances. The feature that men are evaluated on are their social aspects, which they can alter. Even though women and men cannot choose their appearances naturally, surgeries and beauty products can be used. One could think that it is the same for women and men, but that is false. As Ms. Sontag writes, “in a man’s face, lines are taken to be signs of character.” But by a woman, she writes, “every wrinkle, every line, every gray hair, is a defeat.” The norm for a woman’s appearance in today’s society is illogical and can get out of

hand.
The words above are not to advocate that the world is the same as it was nearly 45 years ago. Women, as a whole, have accomplished a major rise in their part of society. With the intention of total gender parity worldwide, women eventually gained the right to work, and now are in many major fields of work. By having incurred this progress in society, many people might consider that Ms. Sontag’s understanding of society would have likely been altered in the way women are shown to be if she wrote her article today. Even though she would see the positives of women today, she would likely continue criticizing the discrimination toward women in today’s society.
Even though there have been many accomplishments by women in society, there are nevertheless numerous explanations as to why Ms.

Sontag would still be concerned today. Sports has become a major part of society, and a new “sport” has been “created” for men, “pick up women.” Women are looked at as items by a myriad of men, where the craving to “get them” has not declined at all. One could think why men are constantly chasing women as a “sport.” The reason for this is that women allow for this to occur. Ms. Sontag’s worry that women welcome this upon themselves would still be correct. Ms. Sontag said, that women in her lifetime “should allow their faces to show the lives they have lived,” but her words might not have been completely understood by the women back then. By looking at a woman, one could possibly see what that woman is like. Today, some women perform horrible acts in front of cameras for money because their face “allows” it. These women have taken Ms. Sontag’s words out of

context.
Numerous bachelorettes do not care if men are continuously “scoring” them based on their various characteristics. Compared to women in the 1970s, women today wear substantially less clothing than they once did. Advertisements have also “evolved” with society. But, women have drastically enhanced their position in the world today. In many fields of work, women have gained a significant amount of dignity. This is proven by their rise in the political and corporate world as productive leaders.
Compared to 1972, the world is not only different but superior. Int the twelve and a half years since Ms. Sontag’s death, the world has achieved many feats, especially regarding gender parity. In an abundance of households today, the man is not the ruling spouse anymore, but instead, he is an equal. It can be looked as offensive if a husband would command his wife to do something. But in 1972, no one thought that this was wrong. It was considered the normal thing to do because the husband controlled his wife and his household. But, with the progression of society, most has transformed. Feminists and writers alike are the ones to praise because they received many denunciations onto what they said. By having them brave out the criticism, society has developed into an equal society.