Why do we think so much about beauty?
Why is it that being attractive and looking good is so important in today’s world?
And what is the role of gender in this matter?
Dr. Lisa Slattery-Walter says, ‘Beauty matters because it affects our lives, how others see us, and these effects affect people’s worth in different areas of life. ‘
“For example, if you’re attractive, you may be more likely to influence important decisions in the office,” she says.
Dr Lisa Slattery-Walter says there are two prevailing views on beauty. The first is that beauty is a useful thing, that is, attractiveness is a positive thing, because of which you can get the people around you to do what you want.
But there is a theory to the contrary.
Dr. Lisa Slattery-Walter says, “Under this ideology, beauty is supposed to be harmful.” This view is especially prevalent among women who believe that in an environment where seriousness, expertise and experience are valued, people do not value what you have to say because of your charm.
And this concept is not seen in men.
It’s an interesting but paradoxical thing because in general we see that women in different cultures are expected to try to meet the standard of beauty even though attractiveness is not always beneficial to us but sometimes it is. May be damaged.
That is, gender plays an important role.
Dr. Jane Bovet is a scientist who says that there is a lot of pressure on women, in which the media also plays a role, but there is something else behind it all.
He believes that ‘beauty and reproduction are closely related because their physical attractiveness to women increases their value.’
Art historian Dr. Matt Loder says, “From a gender point of view, one of the main reasons for artificial body modification is to make yourself fit for a relationship.”
He gives an example that ‘in certain regions of Africa there is a belief that big lips increase the value of a bride.’
“Historically, in some patriarchal cultures, women have been pressured to live up to a self-imposed standard of beauty,” says journalist Angela Saini.
However, she says, ‘this is because where women did not have the power to do what they wanted, the only way they had power was to marry, and when that happened, it mattered. How you look.’
“It can be said that women in such cultures present themselves to the market, through their appearance, through their beauty.”
“When women start working in greater numbers, are economically independent, and less dependent on marriage, that’s a change,” says Angela Saini.
Dr. Lisa Slattery-Walter says, ‘When we look back at human history, we see that the rules of beauty were often set by men and women were expected to conform to those rules. Therefore, this is a proof of patriarchy and also its result.
That is, men had more control and could set standards and norms of beauty, not just social life, which were intended to prevent women from stepping under men’s jurisdiction.
In this case, it is important to remember that there are standards of beauty for men as well, but they may not be under as much pressure to meet these standards as women.
For example, in the UK, until recently, it was considered desirable for men to wear certain clothes at different times.
“People say we don’t care that much about appearance, but the reality is different,” says Dr. Jean Bovet.
Many different things shape our thoughts and attitudes about beauty. However, research suggests that this debate is now changing, especially among the younger generation.
In recent times, ideas about gender are also changing. Just as one’s perception or standard of beauty may vary, so do people’s preferences.
So perhaps in the future physical traits traditionally associated with reproduction may not be so important and gender discrimination may diminish.