Writing Assignment Module 6

Module Six Writing Assignments Society has created an unrealistic standard for women that says they should all look like silicone Barbie dolls, weigh no more than 120 pounds, with flawless skin and perfect blonde hair. Our society has shaped this social construction of beauty through various magazines, films, television shows, etc. with seemingly perfect girls, creating an idea in our minds of what beauty is. ?The models on the covers highlight the image of the ideal girl: white, usually blonde, and invariably thin? (Higginbotham, 138). Higginbotham discusses the emergence of these social norms of what makes a woman beautiful in various teenage magazines such as "Dix-sept and "Vogue". These societal norms that women are thin and beautiful and men are strong and muscular reflect power relationships that have existed in society for generations. Men should be strong and women should be kind and gentle. This focus on beauty standards further reinforces the submissive role of women while men dominate society. Women constantly expect men to accept them if they are beautiful enough for their standards. According to Higginbotham, Magazines even have slogans like ?Boy-Magnet Beauty? on their covers. This is just one example of how women in our society expect men to accept them if they are beautiful enough for them. Prioritizing society's perception of a woman's beauty over the importance of her intellect and abilities further reinforces the power dynamics that existed centuries ago. Our society's beauty standards have a significant impact on almost everyone. Girls struggle to be ?skinny enough? by participating in crazy diets and fads, and some even give up eating disorders to achieve beauty standards like anorexia. In my personal life, I have seen many of my friends and even family members struggle with eating disorders, doing almost anything to avoid eating, Just because they thought they weren't good enough Boys and are even judged by other girls for not being skinny enough. This is just one example of how society's beauty expectations negatively impact someone. I've also seen men struggling with the pressures of social norms, and many of them thought they were "inferior" if they didn't have toned abs and huge biceps. You see various guys spending hours in the gym, drinking countless amounts of protein shakes, and some even resorting to steroids in an attempt to make good enough in today's society. This social construction of beauty affects almost everyone and can have a huge impact on a person's physical and mental health.