The Beauty Myth is a book by Naomi Wolf, published in 1991. It examines beauty as a demand and as a judgement upon women. Subtitled How Images of Beauty Are Used Against Women, Wolf examines the role that modern conceptions of women's beauty impact the spheres of employment, culture, religion, sexuality, eating disorders, and cosmetic surgery.

Wolf's position in this book is that women in Western culture are damaged by the pressure to conform to an idealized concept of feminine beauty. She is especially critical of the fashion industry. She suggests that this development is consequential to the liberation of the work market. The femininity myth, which was represented by the stereotypical position of women as housewives, was replaced by the beauty myth, which took over the role of the social guard over women. Former public interest in woman's virginity has been replaced by public interest in the shape of her body.

It was republished in 2002 with a new introduction by Wolf.

References

• Wolf, Naomi. The Beauty Myth: How Images of Beauty Are Used Against Women''. William Morrow & Co. 1991. ISBN 0688085105

External links

• "Critical Thinkers" Naomi Wolf resources

1991 books | Cultural studies books | Feminism books