Analysis of The Beauty Myth by Naomi Wolf Essay - 590 Words

Analysis of The Beauty Myth by Naomi Wolf The Beauty Myth, published by Doubleday in New York City, hit the shelves in 1992. Naomi Wolf wrote this 348-page book. Wolf attended Yale University and New College, Oxford University, where she was a Rhodes Scholar. Her essays have been printed in many well-known magazines and newspapers, including Esquire and the New York Times. The Beauty Myth was Wolf’s first book. She has also written two other books, Fire With Fire and Promiscuities. Wolf is a recognized feminist. She has done a lot of writing and has spoken to many audiences about issues involving feminism. In The Beauty Myth, Wolf’s basic thesis states that there is a connection between female liberation and†¦show more content†¦We are constantly surrounded by images of the â€Å"perfect† woman. She is tall, thin and beautiful. She rarely looks older than 25, has a flawless body, and her hair and clothes are always perfect. She is not human. She is often shown in pieces – a stomach, a pair of legs, a beautifully made up eye or mouth. Our culture judges women, and women judge themselves, against this standard. It is forgotten that â€Å"beauty pornography†, as Wolf says, focuses on underweight models that are usually 15 to 20 years old. Flaws, wrinkles and other problems are airbrushed out of the picture. Wolf discusses the effect that these standards are having on women in the workplace. A woman’s beauty, or lack of it, can be used against her. In 1986, Mechelle Vinson lost a sexual harassment case. â€Å"Vinson was young and â₠¬Ëœbeautiful’ and carefully dressed. The district court ruled that her appearance counted against her.† (Wolf 38) â€Å"In Hopkins v. Price-Waterhouse, Ms. Hopkins was denied a partnership because she needed to learn to ‘walk more femininely, talk more femininely, dress more femininely,’ and ‘wear makeup’.† She brought in more business than any other employee. (Wolf 39) I believe that this book has value and people from all walks of life should read it. We all need to become much more aware of how strong and how damaging this kind ofShow MoreRelatedThe Negative Stereotypes Of A Child s Interaction With Barbie855 Words   |  4 Pagesasp Murnen, S., Greenfield, C., Younger, A., Boyd, H. (2016). Boys act and girls appear: A content analysis of gender stereotypes associated with characters in children s popular culture. Sex Roles: A Journal of Research 74(1-2), 78. Nery, J. (2000). The Beauty Myth: Revisiting Naomi Wolf s classic. Women s Times, p. 6. Retrieved from http://www.alaalsayid.com/ebooks/The-Beauty-Myth-Naomi-Wolf.pdf O Brien, S. (1997). So you want to be a Princess? Barbie: The Magazine for Girls. Social Read MoreFeminism : A Feminist Perspective1168 Words   |  5 Pagesliterature, including: We Should All Be Feminists by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie; Bad Feminist by Roxane Gay; and Black Looks by Bell Hooks. 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