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Original poster

I want to read something about the pressure women are under to be attractive

10 replies

Queeniethecorgi · 01/03/2014 13:58

Something about how we're all conditioned to think that beauty is power and that being attractive is the most important thing a woman can be. Also about women's weight. Does this book exist? I thought about Fat is a Feminist issue but would like something a bit more contemporary.

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BOFtastic · 04/03/2014 20:52

I find Naomi Wolf rather disappointing as a feminist role model, tbh. She seems to have gone pretty far off the rails after The Beauty Myth- some of her comments on rape, and her support of Julian Assange have really disillusioned me.

Her latest book, Vagina, was a lot of hokum-I had to agree with Suzanne Moore's memorable hatchet job of it in The Guardian here. Well worth a read.

She was somewhat eviscerated for the dodgy biological determinism and the fundamentally rich white privilege the book embodied in the mumsnet webchat she gave about it, too Grin.

SofaCanary · 02/03/2014 14:21

I've just ordered Living Dolls, thanks for the recommendation.

Read The Beauty Myth years ago and while it raises some interesting and valid points, I was always very conflicted over the author. Naomi Wolf received a hell of a lot of media attention at the time, in part I'm sure down to her excessive good looks.

Now maybe she was right to exploit her looks for the cause, I don't know but to my insecure 16 year old self, she seemed horribly disingenuous.

BuffytheReasonableFeminist · 02/03/2014 09:37

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BOFtastic · 02/03/2014 02:18

Yes, fab book. Totally ripped-off from Betty Friedan's The Feminine Mystique, mind, and Wolf's subsequent stuff is very disappointing. Beauty Myth is great though.

Wishfulmakeupping · 02/03/2014 01:56

Naomi wolf beauty myth is an interesting read

preemieparent56 · 02/03/2014 01:44

The bible is full of stories where women are put down for one reason or another!
There is a guide on the web somewhere that highlights the relevant passages!

BOFtastic · 01/03/2014 23:27

Female Chauvinist Pigs, by Ariel Levy is really great too.

KerryKatonasKhakis · 01/03/2014 23:22

Living Dolls is brilliant.

The Equality Illusion by Kat Banyard covers this issue too.

scallopsrgreat · 01/03/2014 15:10

I'd say the three main books that cover this area are:

Naomi Wolf - The Beauty Myth
Natasha Walter - Living Dolls
Sheila Jeffries - Beauty and Misogyny

Pornland (Gail Dines) shows how porn affects society including changing beauty practices (although it mainly deals with sexuality and can be quite harrowing in places so I wouldn't start off with this one!)

Cinderella ate my daughter (Peggy Orenstein) may also cover this.