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SOCIETIES DOUBLE STANDARD SET FOR WOMEN
I just finished Margaret Wente’s column in the Globe & mail, ‘If we females are so equal, why aren’t we happy?’ I have a few ideas.. Over the past thirty plus years I have counseled thousands of young women.
Many women have bought into the fallacy that being of the female sex that their sexual persona is paramount.
Painted/ringed toe nails, waxed legs along with picture perfect beautiful flawless skin is expected. Even though a women may not have breasts she is expected to wear a bra. Earrings, bracelets to adorn your arms and ears are important.
To be in fashion eye shadow and ruby red lip along with a beautiful head of shining hair is the epitome of what a women is supposed to look like.
A women’s biological make-up is not very different then their male brothers. Two arms and a pair of legs to stand on are standard equipment A women’s breasts are meant to be a means of providing natural, healthy food for the infant - not sexual attractions in low cut blouses to entice men.
The fashion business that promotes the sexuality of women is in business to make money. On the whole women/gay men set the fashion standards for women. Girls, they are not interested in your well being; they are interested in your wallet.
It is sure hard for our young women to be career-orientated and take on the persona of living up to the standards sexual stereotype standard set for them by society.
Men don’t have to shave their legs, pluck their eyebrows or spend countless hours in front of the mirror fixing their make-up to be successful.
The tabloids tell us that sex sells but women are the primary source of the buyers of the fashion trade. Interesting, that the clothing industry is referred to as the ‘shmata (rags) business. To-days fashions are to-morrow’s rags.
Women can’t do it all and be happy. The price of trying to be in fashion has a price. Millions of dollars are spent by Canadian women to have beautiful skin/hair and the latest in clothes promoted by Vogue. There is a considerable waste of money/ time/energy by women trying to live up to the impossibly high beauty standards.
Married men seem to be the most happy in society. They do not have to be beautiful to be deemed successful. Bald with glasses and a wide girth covered by jeans is acceptable in many business offices for males.
Women are not equal in because society has a double standard of what is acceptable. Until women change their desire to be perfect and have it all they will be unhappy; ‘if that’s all there is my friend’ will be their refrain.
Len Lesser