The Empire of Images in Our World of Bodies
 

This post will most likely relate to the women of the group but I suggest the men read it as well in case they might be able to find something to understand. Or if you have a wife/girlfriend/daughter it will give you some insight into some of the pressures that they have about their body.

Go to:

http://www.apurnell.com/wilreadings/EmpireOfImages.htm

I suggest you print it out it is a long read.

Why do women buy into this crap?

Is it to attract men? If they paint themselves and starve themselves and get plastic surgery to please some guy, the guy they end up with will be a guy who expects them to do all that crap. Just be yourself. You'll either get the right guy, or be alone and avoid all the wrong guys. Either way, you win.

Some women might "buy" into the crapp because of men...but I think for the most part its because of women. I feel more comfortable about my looks around a guy then I do many of the women I know. I don't feel like the man will be judgemental and analyze every part of my apperance. But I do feel that way around other women. Perhaps thats just me though.

I like big butts. Why is that so hard to accept?

....and you cannot lie? I know that was the obvious response but I couldn't help it.

Amen!

I think that morethanpretty hits a really good point, more than a few of my friends have told me that makeup and style is more about 'keeping up with the joneses' than directly involved in man hunting. Also, how many guys do you know that can recognise designer clothing and other stuff like that anyway?(gay men not included) Why use something to attract us that you say we have no appreciation for??

Wow. I have to quote Elspode twice in the same day, and it's the same quote.

"Beauty is a sum, not a fraction."

I will speak only for myself. Since I am not a woman, young or old, I can't say for sure how those pressures listed in the article affect women and girls. But I can clearly and honestly say that the shape of a woman's breast or bottom matters less than her attitude, the way she carries herself, the way she speaks and thinks and acts. Those things dominate the perception of beauty. Including when those thoughts and actions and words center around how inadequate (or overadequate) she percieves herself to be in (unfair, unrealistic and unimportant) comparison to some media image.

Well said

Clothing and shoes......less is more.
Want to impress us, show up naked with a drink. ;)

I have to admit that I've struggled w/ self image for a long time and just recently have been breaking out of that habit...I could post the paper I recently written over this article...hmm. In my case my problem has been my slightly less than slender figure not clothing, I've always been "chubby" I went from "having some baby fat" to just having some fat. Must be my metabolism...didn't help growing up with a sister who now at the age of 20 only weighs 95lbs (probably an overestimate)...

I wonder if it would have been different for you, having a brother who at 20 only weighs 95lbs? :confused:

These days, I worry about my mom who seems to be worrying about her age and looks. I can truthfully say that she looks a lot younger than people her age (not due to any kind of body modification). I doubt she would go under the knife but her ageing seems to occupy her mind... I try to assure her that she really looks good despite her years but I don't know how well that works. She tells me of the friends around her who go for botox treatment, maybe even considering plastic surgery. =( Sigh...

As a guy I am fed up hearing all this crap about women's bodies give us guy's a break.
It's not guys that put pressure on women to look good wear the right clothes,use the right makeup it's other women...
Women's magazines written by women
Women's tv shows presented and written by women.
I listen to my wife and daughter discussing stuff they've read in hair magazines or fashion magazines and i can't belive how much of the crap they swallow.
So girls can this shit, throw away the magazines buy and use what you feel happy with stop believing the hype it's only there to separate you from your hard earned cash..

Women often put their apperance down in front of other ppl in order to get their compliment. they aren't feeling self-esteem and they need that to lift them up. If men were more forthcoming with compliments this might not happen...BUT the woman shouldn't need that anyway. Even I need it sometimes though and get pouty if my b/f doesn't seem to notice when I try more than other times.

I agree, for the most part thats true, just not many women recognize that in themselves. The one day I wore make up to school (a couple of yrs ago) i ended up crying b/c the girls kept telling me "how much prettier you are when you try!" I always try...I just put more emphasis on my skin and natural looks (cute freckles, bluish-green eyes, oval face, long lashes) then I do on faking those things

I have to disagree...there are men on those staffs, they most likely have/have had a male owner, and there has probably also been a male chief editor...men do play there part. Partially by not speaking out against it enough either.

Have them read this article by Susan Bordo and she has some other good articles...it might open their eyes a bit. Good luck I know it must be hard being the only man in a house full of girls. :-)