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Original poster

make up is misogynistic oppression

549 replies

sixtyandsomething · 15/06/2024 08:42

I hate make up, because of the devastating damage it does to the lives of women and girls

Obviously I don't wear any, so it doesn't damage my life.

But I am a teacher, and see its devastating impact on the lives of literally thousands of girls

It is ridiculous to think it makes women look "beautiful". Women without make up are beautiful. Women with make up look like they have a load of chemical crap smeared on their face to cover up their natural features. Which is what they do.

Thinking this looks "better" than a face without make up is just misogynistic programming and conditioning.

Girls are literally taught and programmed and schooled and conditioned to believe they can't go out without their faces covered. I speak to girls who tell me they will kill themselves if they have to take it off. They are surrounded by media images of women smeared in the crap, and are conditioned to think this is what a normal female face looks like.

It is expensive, time consuming and bad for your skin, but worst of all it is oppressive.

Just look at this picture and compare the natural look of the men, who just have the minimum make up required for the lighting, and the massively overexaggerated, false, completely covered up look of the women, who apparently need to cover their lips with an unnatural colour, paint extra circles around their eyes, change their eyelashes and eyebrows, and cake all the skin on their face in gunk in order to be fit to be seen.

And if you look at this picture and think "what is she on about - those women just look normal" then PLEASE stop for a moment and ask yourself WHY you think gunk-smeared to the point that no natural skin can be seen is "normal" for a woman!

I am not expecting much agreement, as I think so many women are so tightly in the grip of the (mostly male run) cosmetics industry, that they can't even see how brainwashed they are

But please think twice before passing this oppression on to your daughters.

Wouldn't it be amazing if the next generation of female BBC news readers grow up in a society where they feel free to show their actual natural faces in public.

make up is misogynistic oppression
OP posts:
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Mrsjayy · 15/06/2024 08:46

All of those people will have make up on for television, the rest of what you are saying is just angry opinion.

WingSluts · 15/06/2024 08:47

You do know those men have make up on too? I know a BBC News make up artist (amongst other shows) and she definitely makes up men as well as women presenters.

CroftonWillow · 15/06/2024 08:48

The men have make up on...

AlwaysFreezing · 15/06/2024 08:49

You've posted about this before, haven't you?

Helloworld56 · 15/06/2024 08:49

To be fair, I do look better with make up. I don't use foundation, just cream, powder and lipstick. I don't think it's misogynistic, it's what people (men and women) have done for centuries.
It's fine if you don't like it, but most people do.

Frasers · 15/06/2024 08:50

Oh, didn’t Like the pushback in the other thread so decided to start one to garner support,

how’s that working out for you.

WingSluts · 15/06/2024 08:50

What if the oppression we are truly passing on is to our sons who miss out on the joy of make up because we don’t encourage that form of expression? Look how sad this first man looks compared to the second.

make up is misogynistic oppression
make up is misogynistic oppression
SoFedUp71 · 15/06/2024 08:50

I totally agree with you.. our poor planet is drowning in plastic crap and this is a huge part of it..

Catsonskis · 15/06/2024 08:51

Tbh, I wear makeup because I like the way it enhances certain features/cover up things that I!!!! Don’t like.

and if I’m honest, I wear it a little bit for fear of judgment from other women, men don’t tend to notice if I’m wearing it or not lol

Uncooperativefingers · 15/06/2024 08:52

I think there's more peer pressure from other women/girls to wear makeup than men tbh.

Frasers · 15/06/2024 08:52

Deviating impact 😂

Immemorialelms · 15/06/2024 08:53

The men do have makeup on but that isn't the point OP is making. The men's make up is designed to try and compensate for tv and make them look like they would if you saw them at home. The women's isn't.

You'll get a rough ride OP from people who find it hard to believe that their own feelings and norms are socially conditioned. It's hard because none of us like to think we are influenced by culture to do things that are not in our own best interests.

I don't think makeup is the worst example of oppression but it certainly is a successful hit single from the globally famous supergroup, Patriarchy x Capitalism. We've all bought the album.

flyingvisit · 15/06/2024 08:53

I wear very little makeup as 1) it doesnt suit my look to have a lot and 2) because I am older and 3) I dont have the skills
BUT I LOVE what I do wear. I really enjoy it. I love my pretty things.

Original poster
sixtyandsomething · 15/06/2024 08:53

wow, I am really pleased to see 40% agree with me, that is much more than I expected. I was not expecting much agreement, but just hope I can make a couple of people stop and think a bit

OP posts:
PurpleBugz · 15/06/2024 08:53

I agree with you op

Berga · 15/06/2024 08:55

You can make your own choices for yourself.

You don't get to force that choice on everyone else on the planet.

Make up is also a form of art, expression and joy for many people.

Original poster
sixtyandsomething · 15/06/2024 08:55

Mrsjayy · 15/06/2024 08:46

All of those people will have make up on for television, the rest of what you are saying is just angry opinion.

men on TV wear make up to compensate for the lighting, women wear it to cover up their whole face and make sure nothing natural looking can be seen

OP posts:
Elendel · 15/06/2024 08:55

As a teacher, I know what you are saying, but I do believe you've chosen the wrong picture here. As make-up goes, it is reasonably light on those women and they are not what the girls emulate - those would be social media stars and certain singers.

The girls I teach have huge long fake lashes that make it difficult for them to see, nails so long and painted it stops them from holding a pen properly, let alone carry out any practical work (food tech alone is a no-no for nails like that), foundation plastered so thickly onto their skin I don't know how any oxygen can get to it and lip stick that wouldn't go amiss in adult entertainment. Often, their hair is also bleached and dry-looking.

And yes, they sadly do believe they look ugly without all that. Sometimes, they still have their Y7 photo on the system and I look at that and compare it to all the fakeness in front of me and it does make me wonder how brainwashed these girls are.

blackheartsgirl · 15/06/2024 08:55

A lot of men like women without make up. My late dh certainly did.

my ds is 24. His ex spent hours every morning making up her face and he always said she looked pretty with or without it. He didn’t care.

they split up and he’s now with someone who spends her life in leggings and t shirt and has never worn make up. He loves her without it.

personally I think a lot of the time it’s the fear of women judging other women not men judging women for not wearing it.

ThingsWillOnlyGetBetter · 15/06/2024 08:56

I bloody love make up. I enjoy the ritual of applying it - I find it creative and relaxing.

I still find you and your language angry and unpleasant towards women - just as I posted on the other thread.

I don’t think you should teach teenage girls - your anger towards their choices could be damaging. I speak as a feminist who does not believe women ‘should’ wear make up. And do fuck off with the attitude that if one disagrees with you, it’s because we’ve swallowed the patriarchs Kool Aid.

ManilowBarry · 15/06/2024 08:57

'I hate make up, because of the devastating damage it does to the lives of women and girls

Obviously I don't wear any, so it doesn't damage my life.'

Corrected - I hate make up, because I think it causes devastating damage to the lives of women and girls

Obviously I don't wear any, but I respect anyone that chooses to do and understand that die many women and girls, make up is enjoyable for whatever reason.'

I love make up, the choosing and buying, the application and the end result. If you don't, that's fine. I don't faff around with my hair, others choose to use lots of products and style it with appliances and have different haircuts all the time - I don't.

Live and let live:

TheKeatingFive · 15/06/2024 08:57

Is anyone else getting ads for the M&S summer beauty bag on this thread 😂

NinaPersson · 15/06/2024 08:57

I wear make up for me as a form of self expression. My husband has said he doesn’t care whether I wear it

RoyKentwhistle · 15/06/2024 08:58

I love it.

Original poster
sixtyandsomething · 15/06/2024 08:58

AlwaysFreezing · 15/06/2024 08:49

You've posted about this before, haven't you?

yes,, this is something I feel very strongly about, mostly because I see the damage done to teenage girls, close up, first hand, every day-

and the damage last a life time for many women.

They go from normal, happy children running around confidently to somehow absorbing the message that they need to be ashamed of their face and cover it completely, spend their money of chemicals to cover up with, and make a daily routine with time to do it.

OP posts: