Make up is one of those things I love and find expressive. I love the art of make-up, it's inherent ability perceived by the modern woman. While some may see it as necessity to be out at public, while others might see it as false advertisement and others find it another creative way to express themselves. Some see it as an oppression against women which forces them to feel one way about their looks and focus on their imperfections and physical qualities they are lacking. While all of these may hold true at one point or another it is not wise to cast make up aside as just one thing rather than many.
It is true that with the invention of make up as we know can be called a campaign to unify the way women look, define the acceptable margins of beauty and force women to fit in to a certain category and change our appearances to be found more pleasurable to the sight of society. However, make up is not an invention of the modern world and of the modern women. Women in ancient Egypt (way before the time of Jesus, while evidence conflicts some say as early as 4,000 B.C.) has worn make up for different occasions and various reasons. The ideology of cosmetics exists within all cultures throughout different points in time, this includes women in Japan in 1000 A.D., Ancient Greek and Roman women, the Pictish women, Celtic women and the women of many Germanic tribes. So, anyone who argues that make-up just one of the atrocities of the modern world, you can tell them to hit the history books and study various cultures since the beginning of time and the habits of these societies.
The purpose of make up may have differed in ancient times then today (although I will argue that not drastically), it is an intersecting interest of women across the globe. Many women, whether they live in the Americas, Europe, Middle East, or Asia wear make up to enhance their looks, hide away the things we call imperfections. To that extent it is true that make-up reinforces one kind ideal of beauty, enforcing women to be a certain way that is acceptable by their societies and made to feel bad about the qualities they do not possess. For example, women who have smaller eyes, darker skin, non-defined facial bone structure, skin that is problematic, discolored and scarred may feel that their looks as they are won't be accepted and therefore to be accepted members of their society they must apply make up on to their faces to become "normal". To this extent make up or any kind of cosmetics is oppressive to any woman, living in any part of the world, at any given point in time. However, this is not the only use of cosmetics and just this one particular view of make up is not complete.
By covering such "imperfections" as listed above might make one argue about the "false advertisement" component of make-up, along with dyed hair colors, changed eye colors and the padded bras to enhance a woman's chest area in all hopes of attracting the attention of the desired sex (whether this be the male or the female sex). To an extent that is true. I might cover a blemish by my chin, a scar on my forehead and with the use of make up, make my complexion appear younger, healthier, and dewy. I might apply a blush to give color to my otherwise dull and colorless face. With different techniques I could make it so that my eyes appear larger, giving the effect of a sultry seductress, my lips fuller and therefore more kissable. All of this is true. I can dye my dark brunette hair red or blonde, or black. I can change my eye color to fit in more with the Americans I coexist with. I can use padded or push up bras to have a more enticing chest and wear tighter clothes to look more "feminine". I and anyone who wishes to do so, could do so. To that extent make-up gives us another skin, a mask to hide under, perhaps lower our inhibitions, principles, ideals, values, give us an appearance we do not possess. Again though, to this extent while this might hold true, viewing cosmetics solely from this point of view will also hinder anyone unable to understand women in general.
When we go back through the decades we find that there were different kinds of hair styles that were more popular, make up styles that people seemed to idealize in particular times, in particular countries that have left their impressions even in history books. While different cultures define femininity differently, ideal beauty changes even within the most strictest cultures throughout history. And, unfortunately and most sadly what societies define as feminine and beautiful are done so by men in those societies as most of the world is one big patriarchal society. In addition to that we accept the definitions and premises set by men. In return so many women cover these flaws to fit into the patriarchal definitions of beauty and femininity and embraces the mask of beauty that is highly desired in their societies to please not only potential mates, but also to be an acceptable, functioning member of our societies. Just look at our media. Magazines are full of "beautiful people". We are even cheer on for people with serious psychological problems because of their so called irresistible beauty. Behaviors that are unacceptable as binge drinking, unhealthy dieting, unsafe sexual behaviors are widely publicized in glamorous ways across magazines, tabloids and our television channels. The movies we watch, the shows we follow usually surround people of extreme beauty and fit bodies. We decide their fates should be happy and these beautiful people deserve no less then heroic loves. Consequently, women look for other ways to catch up to the differences by what is normalized in our daily lives by the constant and penetrating influence of media and the normal people that we are, surrounded by them in our environments. It seems we are all in a race to who will be crowned the most beautiful. A crown that will inevitably be passed on to younger girls with even better skin, more toned bodies who are willing to bare it all in front of others. A crown that is as transient as the wind.
No comments:
Post a Comment