Beauty

In this section, it focuses on the beauty industry, cosmetic markets, and the lengths that women go to in order to achieve a higher level of beauty. It is stated that, “women undergo a staggering amount of suffering in the pursuit of beauty. Around the world, but especially in the rich countries, tens of thousands of women each year have their bodies cut, shaped, stapled, tucked, and manipulated to conform to prevailing standards of beauty.” However, this is not the only form of manipulation that women endure to change their appearance. In the U.S. alone, fifty billion dollars was expended on cosmetics in 2007. However, this may also be reflected in the fact that the U.S. has had the most winners of the Miss World and Miss Universe pageants. U.S. women seem to be fairly occupied by trying to achieve the ideal body type, otherwise they would not have disposed of so much money on the products.

I believe that these numbers are staggering. Why do women feel so much pressure to conform to an ideal created by the white male population? Obviously the image displayed in the media is influencing women, and causing them to have insecurities about their natural appearance. It seems unreal that with the fact that women are typically paid less than men, that we would spend so much of our income on unneeded commodities. On the other hand, men, who make more then women, do not have to expend so much money to alter their bodies, for the ideals for men aren’t as vigorous as they are for women. This contradiction is startling, especially in a time when women are fighting for equal rights. Should there be so many discrepancies such as this? Should men have the power to make us want to dispose of our income on these products and services? Women need to show that their natural beauty is much more attractive than having altered it. We need to gain our power back, and not let men cause us self doubt and to spend our hard earned money.

Seager, J. The Penguin Atlas of Women in the World. Brighton: Myriad Editions Limited, 2009,
52-53.