Wmst 301 Prof Lawston Cultural Ideas About Being

Wmst 301prof Lawstoncultural Ideas About What It Means To Be A Woman

What are cultural ideas about what it means to be a woman and what it means to be a man, and how do these ideas affect society? How do powerful cultural institutions like the media influence perceptions of ourselves and the world around us? Specifically, what are the beauty ideals in Western society for women, and how do these ideals impact identity, self-perception, and societal behavior? The assignment explores how social norms and institutions, such as media and fashion, promote and reinforce certain beauty standards, notably the thin ideal, which feminists have termed the “beauty myth” or “tyranny of slenderness.”

Historically, beauty standards for women have shifted significantly over time and across cultures. In the 17th century, voluptuous and fleshy figures were valued, whereas the late 19th and early 20th centuries saw the emergence of a slender ideal influenced by mass marketing, middle-class aesthetics, and youth culture. While Western societies have embraced thinness as a beauty ideal, non-Western cultures often admire fatness, viewing it as a symbol of wealth, health, and strength. For example, in the Andes, fat signifies well-being, while Nigerian Arabs revere fat as sexy. Some Central African festivals celebrate voluptuous women, illustrating how cultural context influences perceptions of beauty. As countries become more Westernized, and the slender ideal dominates, issues such as eating disorders increase globally, including in China and Fiji. Research by Anne Becker demonstrates the media’s role in shaping body dissatisfaction among young women, especially after exposure to Western media imagery.

The influence of media on body image is profound. Contemporary media, including fashion modeling, advertising, and celebrity imagery, predominantly depicts white, young, slim, able-bodied, heterosexual women, reinforcing narrow standards of beauty. The fashion industry’s standards have become more extreme over the decades; for example, the average fashion model today weighs significantly less than the average woman. The prevalence of plastic surgery is also rising; in the U.S., millions of procedures are performed annually, predominantly on women, including minimally invasive options like Botox, fillers, and chemical peels, as well as invasive surgeries like breast augmentation and nose reshaping. These procedures are often driven by the cultural pursuit of “perfection,” which is continually elevated by media, surgeons, and consumer expectations.

Visual imagery in media and entertainment plays a pivotal role in shaping perceptions. Photographs of celebrities are frequently digitally altered, presenting an idealized image of perfection that most can’t achieve naturally. As Susan Bordo notes, such images teach viewers how to perceive their bodies—distorting real body-image expectations and normalcy. Women who undergo plastic surgery often feel compelled to justify their choices, believing they are working to meet societal standards rather than personal satisfaction. Many women equate physical appearance with character and self-worth, believing that altering their bodies can enhance self-esteem and social acceptance.

Race, ethnicity, and class are integral to understanding beauty standards. For Black women, hair and appearance are expressions of racial identity and social positioning. Research by Ingrid Banks highlights how societal standards often judge Black women by white beauty ideals, which marginalizes and stereotypes their natural features. For example, Chris Rock’s documentary "Good Hair" explores how racial and cultural perceptions influence beauty practices among Black women and men. These dynamics reveal that beauty ideals are not only gendered but also racialized, often entrenching inequalities based on race, class, and sexuality.

The discussion of beauty ideals extends beyond aesthetics to societal and psychological impacts. Media exposure correlates with body dissatisfaction and disordered eating behaviors, especially among adolescents. The normalization of extreme thinness and beauty perfection fosters “normative discontent” among women, influencing their self-esteem and mental health. The societal endorsement of these standards perpetuates a vicious cycle of body dissatisfaction and cosmetic interventions, as women believe that their value hinges on meeting specific aesthetic criteria.

In conclusion, Western beauty ideals for women are a product of social, cultural, and media influences that promote a narrow, often unattainable thin ideal. These standards affect women’s identities, mental health, and societal roles. While some cultural contexts celebrate different body types, the global prevalence of Western media has profoundly shaped contemporary beauty norms, leading to increased body dissatisfaction, eating disorders, and cosmetic surgeries. Understanding these complex influences is crucial for challenging restrictive beauty standards and fostering a more inclusive and diverse conception of beauty.

Paper For Above instruction

The cultural ideas about what it means to be a woman and what it means to be a man are deeply rooted in societal norms and reinforced through powerful institutions such as the media. These ideas influence perceptions of beauty, gender roles, and individual identity, shaping societal expectations and personal self-concept. In contemporary Western society, especially, beauty standards have evolved into a rigid ideal that often promotes thinness as synonymous with attractiveness and femininity. This phenomenon is not incidental but a constructed social myth reinforced through media representations, advertising, fashion, and celebrity portrayals.

The feminist critique of these beauty ideals often refers to the notion of the "beauty myth" and "tyranny of slenderness." According to feminist scholars such as Naomi Wolf and Susan Bordo, societal emphasis on thinness serves to control women’s bodies and self-perceptions, diverting attention from other aspects of identity and reinforcing patriarchal power structures. The thin ideal is not a universal or timeless standard; rather, its roots trace back to specific historical moments. For instance, Renaissance-era paintings celebrated fuller bodies as symbols of fertility and health, while the late 19th and early 20th centuries saw the rise of the slender ideal, influenced by mass marketing and a shifting middle-class aesthetic (Seid, 1989; Walden, 1985). This change reflects broader social transformations, including urbanization, industrialization, and the commodification of beauty.

Non-Western cultures often hold contrasting beauty standards that valorize fatness as a sign of wealth, prosperity, and health. For example, in the Andes mountains, fat symbolizes strength and well-being (Weismantel, 2005). Similarly, in Nigeria and Central Africa, festivals and cultural practices celebrate voluptuous women, illustrating how beauty ideals are culturally relative and historically contingent. These examples demonstrate that the thin ideal is a Western construct, particularly prevalent in affluent societies influenced by Western media and consumer culture. Yet, as Western beauty standards permeate global markets, they contribute to emerging health issues worldwide, like eating disorders.

Research by Anne Becker underscores the media’s role in reshaping body perceptions among young girls. When Fiji introduced television from Western countries in 1995, there was a dramatic increase in body dissatisfaction and disordered eating behaviors within just a few years (Becker, 2004). This example highlights how media exposure can rapidly influence cultural perceptions of attractiveness, often leading to negative health behaviors. Today, the media's portrayal of idealized bodies sets unrealistic standards: runway models, celebrity images, and social media platforms predominantly showcase thin, white, able-bodied women with little racial or body diversity.

The fashion industry exemplifies these standards through its increasing reliance on ultra-thin models. The average model’s weight has decreased substantially over the past decades, with many models meeting criteria for eating disorders such as anorexia. Correspondingly, cosmetic surgeries have become widespread, with millions of procedures performed annually in the U.S. alone (American Society of Plastic Surgeons, 2023). Procedures such as Botox, liposuction, breast augmentation, and rhinoplasty are increasingly normalized and marketed as pathways to achieving societal ideals of beauty. The quest for perfection is thus continuously fueled by media, consumer culture, and individual aspirations.

Visual culture plays a critical role in perpetuating these standards. Digitally altered images in magazines, social media, and advertising craft an unattainable ideal that many women internalize. Susan Bordo’s analysis underscores how these images serve as "perceptual pedagogy," teaching viewers to see bodies in particular ways—often as defects or flaws that need fixing. Women who pursue plastic surgery often report satisfaction with their results but also feel compelled to justify their choices socially, revealing internalized pressures and the influence of societal beauty norms (Gimlin, 1996). These practices underscore an ongoing cultural narrative that equates physical appearance with personal worth and social acceptance.

Furthermore, race and ethnicity influence beauty standards, revealing intersecting axes of gender, race, and class. Ingrid Banks' research demonstrates how Black women, for instance, navigate societal judgments that privilege white beauty ideals, often leading to hair and aesthetic practices aimed at conforming to these standards (Banks, 2000). The documentary "Good Hair" by Chris Rock exemplifies how race and cultural identity impact beauty practices and perceptions. These disparities highlight how beauty norms enforce social hierarchies, marginalizing those who do not fit the narrow standards promoted by mainstream media.

Overall, the idealization of thinness and certain racial features fosters body dissatisfaction, mental health issues, and pervasive social pressures. The normalization of cosmetic surgery and unrealistic images create a cycle where women are encouraged to see their bodies as flawed or defective unless they conform to cultural standards. This cycle impairs self-esteem and perpetuates inequality, illustrating the importance of questioning and challenging dominant beauty ideals to promote diversity and body positivity.

In sum, Western beauty standards for women, driven by media and consumer culture, are socially constructed ideals that influence identities, mental health, and societal roles. Recognizing the cultural, historical, and racial contingencies of these standards is essential for fostering a more inclusive understanding of beauty that values diversity and rejects narrow notions of attractiveness.

References

• American Society of Plastic Surgeons. (2023). 2022 Plastic Surgery Statistics Report.
• Banks, I. (2000). “Beauty and the Black Woman: Race, Gender, and Representation.”
• Becker, A. E. (2004). “Toward a Better Understanding of Media and Body Image in Fiji.” Journal of Adolescent Health, 35(3), 99–106.
• Gimlin, D. (1996). “Body Work: Beautifying Practices and Body-Image.” Sociological Perspectives, 39(3), 339-360.
• Rothblum, E. D. (1990). “The Fat Body and the Thin Body: Historical Perspectives on Body Ideals.”
• Seid, S. (1989). “Fashion and Gender: The Shift in Body Ideals.”
• Schwartz, B. (1986). The Emergence of Thinness Ideals in Western Culture.
• Stearns, P. N. (1997). Fat History: Bodies and Beauty in America.
• Walden, D. A. (1985). “Changing Body Ideals in Western Societies.”
• Weismantel, M. (2005). “Fattening in the Andes: Cultural Significance of Food and Body”.