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Beauty standards social construction
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Beauty. What does this word conjure up in your imagination? For most, the word “beauty” directly correlates to human aesthetics, specifically in women. The question is: why? Why do people link “beauty” to women more than to men, landscape or creatures? What is the source of the “manipulation” that connects beauty to feministic appearance? The American Heritage College Dictionary defines the word “beauty” as “[t]he quality that gives pleasure to the mind or senses…”. (125) Therefore the simple definition of “beauty” is just something that evokes a feeling of “pleasure” to a person when something strikes their taste. Likely, T. E. Jessop explains that “[t]he study of beautiful objects has become the study of their origination in a mind and of their effect on a mind.” (159) Beauty is something of personal taste and is something that has results in some sort of “effect” (i.e.: feeling of pleasure) on the mind. But is this definition the reality of what beauty really is today? Those who have studied history and the role beauty, specifically feminine beauty, in society, have come to the conclusion that beauty in theory does not encompass only the simple definition as stated above. However, beauty plays a large part in the status of a person in society, even more so with women. Baker-Sperry and Grauerholz write extensivly on this topic. They say that according to Kirsten Dellinger and Christine L. Williams, society “socially rewards” women who are more attractive. They also talk about the studies of Dawn Currie where adolescent girls expressed that they only feel “good about themsleves” if they “look good”. Baker-Sperry and Grauerholz go on to conclude that as a woman’s status in society increases so does her “reliance” on beau... ... middle of paper ... ... Ludwig and Wilhelm Carl Grimm. "Cinderella." 1812: 1-6. Pink Monkey. Web. 17 December 2013. Hanafy, Erin. "New Study Questions Fairy Tales' Preoccupation With Beauty." 13 January 2004. AZCentral. Web. 16 November 2013. Jessop, T. E. "The Definition of Beauty." Proceedings of the Aristotelian Society 33 (1932-1933): 159. JSTOR. Web. 15 Dec 2013. Langlois, Judith H. and A. Chris Downs. "Peer Relations as a Function of Physical Attractiveness: The Eye of the Beholder or Behavioral Reality." Child Development 50.2 (1979): 409-418. Web. 20 Nov 2013. Miller, Laura. "Japan's Cinderella Motif: Beauty Industry and Mass Culture Interpretations of a Popular Icon." Asian Studies Review 32.3 (2008): 393-409. Academic Search Complete. Web. 26 Nov 2013. Patterson-Nuebert, Amy. "Experts say fairy tales not so happy ever after." 11 November 2003. Purdue News. Web. 26 November 2013.
In the essay “What Meets the Eye”, Daniel Akst explains scientific facts about the beauty of men and women matters to people. He argues that attractive individuals receive attention, great social status, marries, and gets paid more on a job. One can disagree with Akst’s argument because anyone with the skills and knowledge, despite the appearance, can gain a decent relationship and can get paid well. Akst looks at beauty as if it can lead individuals to an amazing and successful life, but he is wrong. Nancy Mairs’ and Alice Walker’s views on beauty are explained internally and through self-confidence. Both women’s and Akst’s arguments on beauty share some similarities and differences in many ways, and an
Throughout time, these standards have shifted. In Susan Sontag’s piece, “Women’s Beauty: Put Down or Power Source?”, she goes into depth within this topic of beauty and how ancient times differ from present day views. In this passage, Sontag discusses the views of beauty in ancient Greece. Within the first few lines of this passage, Sontag states “For the Greeks, beauty was a virtue: A kind of excellence.”…”If it did occur to the Greeks to distinguish between a person 's "inside" and "outside," they still expected that inner beauty would be matched by beauty of the other kind.” (1). In times like these, beauty was seen as something that can be on the outside, physical beauty, as well as something on the inside, intelligence or character. Society has come a long way and this ideology of beauty has changed. Nowadays, we tend to focus on the “outer” appearance of someone, and almost completely disregard their “inner” beauty. Throughout this passage, Sontag distinguishes the difference between a handsome man and a beautiful woman. She states, “For the ideal of beauty is administered as a form of self-oppression.” (6). Sontag goes on to discuss this ideology by saying “Women are taught to see their bodies in parts, and to evaluate each part separately.”…” Nothing less than perfection will do.” (6). This statement is valid for present day society. Women are expected to act and look a certain way in order to be physically
know beauty in any form”(86). We are so conditioned to see female beauty as what men
Wolf, Naomi. The Beauty Myth. How Images of Beauty are Used Against Women. New York: William Morrow, 1991.
Who sets the standards for beauty? What must one do to truly look beautiful? What does feeling beautiful mean? When considering the concept of beauty one must differentiate between the universal and relative perception of beauty. Among the components of universal beauty are harmony, symmetry and utility. However, perception of beauty is also relative, when it is defined by the standards of the time that are subjective to the socio economic values of the era. One of the ways these values are communicated is through images portrayed in art and in modern times through the media. ‘Fashion’ is the carrier of theses values though physical appearance and self-image that define power, rank, acceptability and belonging. Having ‘fashion’ as the medium of these relative values bring advantages and disadvantages. Although there are benefits of matching the fashion of the time, positive self-image and satisfaction with a feeling of acceptance these are temporary because fashion is ever changing. On the other hand not conforming to the contemporary standards can have a detrimental impact on self-image that leads to feeling a sense negative self worth and marginalized. Eating disorders are a powerful manifestation that fashion has on the psyche. The underlying idea of what fashion ‘is’ is value. Amongst all the change of fashion, value remains ever present.
As children grow up, they are exposed to the “perfect” fairy tale, portraying the roles of the perfect man and woman, according to Andrea...
In today’s culture, depending on the person, beauty can be depicted as a positive influence or as a negative influence. Alyssa Giacobbe outlines beauty in her article, “Youth, Beauty, and An Obsession with Looks.” Giacobbe swings towards a more negative viewpoint.
Todays society, science and statistics teaches us that beauty leads to success; being beautiful increases chances of better jobs, better mates and more advantages though life. In a study by Dr Hamermesh (2011:[sp]) he
Neikirk, Alice. ""...Happily Ever After" (or What Fairytales Teach Girls About Being Women)." Web. 8 Dec. 2013.
actual image. The idea of beauty is all around us. It is what we look for in all aspects of life. It is
While it would not be quite honest to argue that beauty standards are completely socially constructed considering the substantial body of scientific research claiming the opposite, the obvious effects of society should not be denied either. The truth about the perception of beauty lies somewhere in between: the beauty standards might be both societal and biological artifacts. Therefore, we can establish the claim that rather than being universally and inherently attractive, one can become so by meeting the immediate beauty standards of her society. Beauty in this context becomes a matter of choice between conforming to the oppressive ideals of female beauty or challenging it. The woman who decides to comply with the norm gains power from the existing structure, simultaneously empowering herself and perpetuating oppression for
Baker-Sperry, Lori and Liz Grauerholz (2003).The Pervasiveness and Persistence of the Feminine Beauty Ideal in ChildrenÕs Fairy Tales. Gender and Society, pp. 711-726
As stated by ‘The Duchess’, Margaret Wolfe Hungerford’s famous quote “beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” As a result, beauty can describe as an inspiring view present in everything that can be seen. To begin, beauty can be viewed in a building as large and extravagant as the white house to the small hometown market or even in the sight of a single flower to a field filled with a million flowers. Also, beauty can be seen in the sunrise over the peaks of the mountains and also in the sunset glowing across a calm lake surrounded by the bright colors of the fall trees. Furthermore, people have physical beauty, which can be found in a person’s features, figure, or complexion. In the poem “Beauty & Dress” by Robert Herrick he explains the beauty he sees in his wife. Herrick states,
I would like to begin with the fact that women have always been known to dedicate their time to beauty. Those who are devoted to their appearance most often believe that beauty brings power, popularity, and success. Women believe this, because they grow up reading magazines that picture beautiful women in successful environments; not to mention they are popular models and world famous individuals. Beautiful women are no longer just a priority for most advertising, but we have become a walking target for the working class employers. It is documented that better-looking attorneys earn more than others after five years of practice, which was an effect that grew with experience (Biddle, 172). We cannot overlook the fact that it is always the most popular and most beautiful girl who becomes homecoming-queen or prom-queen. While these are possible positive effects of the "beauty myth," the negative results of female devotion to beauty undercut this value. These effects are that it costs a lot of money, it costs a lot of time, and in the long run, it costs a lot of pain.
Beauty means to gather in and around us what is pure, exquisite, right and proper. Real beauty is a reflection of an unspoiled heart and a tranquil soul. It is our transformation from the inferior to the superior and it emanates from us when we have the ability to see loveliness in everything around us including other people. It comes from our ability to always have the best intentions and it cannot be shared until it has been excavated from deep inside our souls where our ancient knowing resides.