Our culture focuses mostly on the wrapping, and not what's inside. This is true of both genders, but a stricter adherence is expected for and by the females. A case in point-it has been posted here that men should dress as the accepted norm of men, and women as women. But why is that so? Does it really matter if Joe or Jane is wearing a dress or flannel shirts? Make up or no make up? Shouldn't our criteria be: Is that a good person? Am I a good person?
I agree with this.
But in agreeing with what you have said, I would like to extend the discussion back to what was for me at least the origin of my interest in this topic.
Let's suppose for the moment that this society is appearance based, and that women are more subject to this judgement than men. I think we have all more or less agreed on that, right?
Then my question is.... suppose that you are a rational adolescent girl (I know that may be a stretch
). So, if you are an adolescent girl, and you know that society is heavily judgmental of women based upon appearance. What would this rational adolescent girl do? My argument is that the normal thing for that girl to do would be to become very concerned about her appearance... because she understands that she will be judged on that basis. And in being concerned about her appearance, she "feeds the monster"... IE she feeds the beauty industry and it's importance... she confirms for her peer group that appearance is a critical for issue for girls.
I am not saying this because I excuse it, or because I think it is a good thing. I am just saying that it is sort of a self re-reinforcing phenomena... IE girls pay attention to appearance because they are reading the values of society. Those girls confirm the importance of appearance to their peers... and eventually they themselves become part of the society that will influence future generations of girls to think that appearance is very important.
Saying that above does not endorse that problem, or excuse it. It is simply an attempt to acknowledge the complexity of resolving this problem... which has already been with us for some good long time.
