make up is misogynistic oppression

[sixtyandsomething]

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.

I'm not saying you're not entitled to have your opinions @LondonFox and some many well be valid. I just don't want you getting deleted or banned.

Your call. I won't say anything else.

Tbh I don't care, can open another account in a minute :)
But thanks

@LondonFox your response is far more aggressive, enraged and unkind than anything OP has said. I read once that people can even kill to reinforce their ingrained beliefs when challenged.
OP makes a great point. I agree with it entirely. I see it as slightly different with the TV examples as men are plastered in make up also.

When our conditioned beliefs are challenged, we come out with nonsense like ' is it ok to wear earrings' and 'shall we all wear beige dresses'. Women are often the greatest proponents of misogyny without even realising it.

We can listen to an entirely valid viewpoint and agree with it ( as I very much do), but think, I'm still wearing make up for x reason. But it's good to be aware of the behind the scenes manipulation. We don't have to lose our minds over it. I too feel horrified by any girl thinking they'd kill themselves if they couldn't wear make up FFS.

Whoever made the point ref lipstick mimicking sexual arousal is spot on! Same with blusher. I'm sure I read something regards high heels simulating the foot position of women during orgasm. I might have made that last bit up 🤦‍♀️🤣 I'll go look it up.

Obviously nobody is allowed their own opinion. 🙄

Hell no!!! Might turn men into raging sex fiends!!

I was going to suggest burlap sacks.

*Except now we have a generation of women shaving off their pubic hair because porn told them it’s unattractive, dirty, gross, disgusting to have hair there.

Its not what you’re comfortable with, it’s what men out of sight decide every single day, to decide, what you’re are comfortable with*

Utter tosh! I shave my pubic hair, because I hate the way it feels. DH couldn't care either way, he tells me I'm beautiful when I'm full face of make up, or when I wear none, when my hair is done, or when it's in a greasy ponytail, if I'm showered shaved and smelling nice, and even when I've not showered for 3 days, feeling rough, bloated and miserable. He loves me for me. I've had a full bush and no bush, I prefer none. I'm not shaving because a man said so.

My 15yo DD refuses to shave, legs, arms, anything. Won't wear make up either, she's happy representing herself and not doing anything for the boys to like her.

So, we should all do what you say and what you deem appropriate with our appearance after you’ve basically insulted us and implied we are shallow and stupid?

You really don’t understand how human psychology works do you? 😂😂

Your post comes across as rude, aggressive and patronising so no thank you, I will continue to cultivate my appearance in the way I want to. You don’t like makeup? Then don’t fucking wear it, no one cares. But you don’t get to dictate to me how I should look. In fact, this post reminds me that I need a new mascara!

@sixtyandsomething

it does look better though 🤷‍♀️

Almost the exact same thread was started about this last year. Same talking of smearing, crap and gunk. Same weird focus on newsreaders.

https://www.mumsnet.com/talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/4852563-to-think-female-newsreaders-and-presenters-shouldnt-wear-make-up

I'm gonna go buy some more make up off amazon right now! Because I fucking can despite the OP trying to suggest we wear make up coz of men......now I'm gonna wear it just to piss off the OPs sensibilities 😆

This kind of weird obsession speaks to me of a very raw psychological issue that hasn’t been addressed. I think you should self reflect OP

Haha! Me too 😂

I'm old enough (54) and well read enough to understand where OP is coming from, but oh for the love of God, it comes across as so judgemental!

I love makeup. I do not wear it every day, but I love the ritual and the artistic expression. Sometimes I do my "anti-man" make up; black smokey eye and too pale lip. It's not attractive, but I love the strong look. I do it to purposefully be UNATTRACTIVE to men.

This strain of judgemental feminism needs to get in the bin IMO. You don't win people over by lecturing at them.

Same
Can't possibly want to do anything for ourselves, must be wanting to do it for men's benefit. 🙄

The makeup female newsreaders wear is usually quite understated. Well the ones on my telly are!!
I've yet to see one looking like a drag queen!!

I agree with others, it’s insulting, basically YOU have spoken, as if we can’t think for ourselves. My ex boyfriend moaned if I wore red lipstick calling me a prostitution. So bollicks to you both, I’ll think for myself thank you.

This is hysterical. I wear makeup daily FOR ME, because it makes ME feel powerful and confident. ME. I also use affordable items/brands that align with my values (cruelty free).

My makeup is a hobby, part of my morning routine of relaxation & me time. To me, it’s the same thing as putting on clothes every morning. I enjoy wearing clothes, I enjoy wearing makeup. I enjoy taking the time to do my makeup, playing around with different looks. I enjoy how it looks, how it makes ME feel. Couldn’t give a shit as to how it makes others feel. Just me. Simple as.

Sincerely OP, your anger is misplaced

I don't read OPs post like that. I am way beyond wanting a man in my life! But I would wear concealer and blusher because to me it looks better ( more healthy) and I feel better.

But OP can still have a valid point about the origins of make up wearing for women in modern society. We are so used to it and normalise it that it becomes something we actually want to do for various reasons.

Also agree with others that it’s hilarious you’re trying to preach at us as if your opinion is the only one that matters. As if us mere simpletons couldn’t form our own views without your advice & input.

Very patriarchal of you, wouldn’t you think?

👏

Yes, we can think for ourselves, but never in a way that is uninfluenced by the attitudes of the society we live in and how we've been brought up. But of course the OP's extreme attitude against make-up is no less a result of all of that. Railing against the prevailing social status quo is just as much a product of influence as going along with it.

I also enjoy that you HAD to put in a little line about how you know many won’t agree but it’s “because we’ve been brainwashed.”

You only included that line so that when we did inevitably disagree, you could point back and hide behind your smug little defense.

Not very feminist of you to assume none of us who are disagreeing are capable of having our own opinions. Seems very anti-woman to believe we aren’t capable of that.

I don't wear make up, but not as some kind of radical protest, I just don't like it. For those who do, it is choice. No one is making anyone wear it or not wear it.

I need the wire for support. Mine are more comfortable than not wearing one, without a bra it is painful