The Huffington Post article hit on some of the same ideas; make up is marketed using words like:
Infallible
Brilliant strength
Liquid power
Choose your dream
Why is this? The father writing the article talks about how this words relate to inner strength, about how these qualities are more than skin deep. Wolf makes the argument that these words appeal to women's situation in society --strength and power are tempting because women don't feel strong and powerful otherwise, but to be beautiful (by way of this makeup) may help to change this situation. I don't think the father writing the article fully understands this perspective; he sees the way these products are marketed to women as problematic, but doesn't fully understand their systemic implication.
I don't know if I made my point clear in the above assessment, but its all just food for thought.
I have read both of his letters to his daughter. I found them extremely moving and filled with important points.
ReplyDeleteI hope more people read this letter. Whether or not the father fully understands and/or explains the issue is arguable from both sides, but he does make some good points that I think persons of any gender should take to heart.
ReplyDeleteTo be honest I've never understood why makeup exists in the first place. I realize to say that all makeup should be abolished is radical to say the least, but I just can't recognize the need for it. Even the word 'makeup' implies that there are flaws that need to be made up for, or really just covered up. When I have brought this point up to some girls in the past they've said things along the lines that they need to in order to 'keep up' with all the other girls wearing makeup or even that men sort of make them wear it. I would imagine that a woman would want a man to like the way she looks and wouldn't 'require' her to alter it, and more importantly that the way someone looks shouldn't be the deciding factor to such a degree that they need makeup to even be acceptable. I will concede that some men practically require a woman to wear makeup if they want to be attractive enough for them because they're that shallow, at that point I believe that so called man isn't worth impressing in the first place. Something else that I've come to accept is that other girls just say that makeup is fun and harmless. I'm no expert on the topic but I just hope that society becomes aware of what impact makeup may have. In some situations it may be fun and harmless, but we need to recognize when it's oppressive to a women's appearance and her self esteem.
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