As many may suspect, the media drives current notions of beauty. In this article I will focus on one aspect of the media: magazines. Many magazines associate beauty with a particular female physique; a woman who is thin, “feminine,” youthful, and white is considered beautiful.
As many women read these magazines, they often objectify other women according to this image of beauty. In her book The Beauty Myth, Naomi Wolf states that women are often stigmatized, especially by other women, as either too “pretty” or too “ugly.” If a woman is too pretty then she is often considered a rival or a threat to other women, and if too ugly, then “one risks tarring oneself with the same brush by identifying oneself with her agenda.” Why are we so critical of ourselves? And more importantly, why are we so critical of each other?
Furthermore, men also objectify women. In order to receive this male gaze, many women may try to embody the socially constructed image of beauty. In her book, Wolf quotes John Berger: “Men look at women. Women watch themselves being looked at. This determines not only the relations of men to women but also of women to themselves.” It is also important to again point out that the relationship between women and other women is also often determined by this “looking” and objectifying. With this arises another question: why is the male gaze so crucial to several women’s self-esteem?
In magazines, a skinny body is one aspect of a woman’s figure that is associated with beauty. It is this size 0 to 4 figure that Glamour Magazine is trying to shift away from. An article in November’s issue called “These Bodies are Beautiful at Every Size” contains several photographs of naked female models with curves, rounded shoulders, and belly rolls. The article suggests that these models are not actually plus-sized because their bodies are healthy and realistic. It also aims to convey to readers that these women, too, are beautiful. Although I very much respect Glamour’s decision to use “plus-size” models, the magazine is still a commodity whose main goal is to sell itself as well as other products. It also, as the magazine’s title itself suggests, continues to define beauty according to its own marketing strategy. Is it not up to women to decide what makes them be and feel beautiful? Femininity, along with size, age, and race is another image associated with female beauty in magazines (and other forms of media). But what about women who do not identify with what the media considers “feminine”? As Wolf’s book implies, the notion of beauty driven by magazines is a myth.
As I have said, many women want to embody the image of beauty that is perpetuated by magazines in order to achieve the male gaze. Think of Cosmopolitan magazine. The cover page of October’s issue is smothered with titles like these: “Bad Girl Sex: These 12 Moves Will Show Him Your Really Naughty Side” and “What 81% of Men Expect on the First Date.” Not only do these articles encourage one particular image of beauty, but they also promote the notion that women should “beautify” themselves for men, not for themselves. Another article in October’s issue, “Fun Little Tricks Guys Love,” goes through at least ten things that women can do to attract a man as well as about five things that will repel him (so watch out ladies, don’t floss your teeth while driving). Cosmopolitan also issues a piece every month called “Sexy vs. Skanky.” This article tells women what is sexy and “good” and what is skanky and “bad.” Why does a magazine decide what is “sexy” and “skanky”?
Before concluding, I want to point out that what I have discussed may not apply to all women. Coming from a Western white and middle class perspective, it does apply to me. I also want to state that it may not necessarily be a bad thing to enjoy the male gaze. However, I want women, including myself, to ponder why so much of our self-esteem (if it does) comes from this gaze. We continue to live in a male dominated world. As Wolf points out, culture itself is male. And as the media continues to perpetuate the beauty myth, the male dominated world is also encouraged. Although women’s magazines unite women by connecting and relating to them, they, as many other magazines do, base their connections on stereotypical “female” women. By encouraging beauty for the purpose of male pleasure, magazines actually isolate women from each other. This separation is, in my opinion, just as bad as the beauty myth itself.
