tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7302245627574027504.post950540421506744738..comments2019-05-15T23:59:20.159-07:00Comments on Feminist Legal Theory: Cosmetics and gender inequality: Part ILisa R. Pruitthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16469550950363542801noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7302245627574027504.post-74858990643145169252015-03-03T11:33:10.460-08:002015-03-03T11:33:10.460-08:00This post was very thought provoking. I have a lov...This post was very thought provoking. I have a love/hate relationship with make-up personally. Some days I love to wear it and other days I just don’t feel like putting it on (so, I just don’t)! One of my biggest issues with women and wearing make-up is the response we get when we aren’t wearing it one day. Whenever I don’t wear it, I can always count on at least one person to say, “You look really tired today” or “Are you okay? You look sick.” I find it so insulting. <br />The comment about the economic benefits to women was also eye opening. I’d never thought about the cosmetic industry as a major employer for women and also an area of expertise where they can really excel. At the end of the day, even though the cosmetics industry is a huge money-making industry, I still think it’s important to look at the benefits of it and how it can also empower women. Sophiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14866484331857079348noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7302245627574027504.post-24942853180301473882012-10-11T06:01:58.374-07:002012-10-11T06:01:58.374-07:00A couple of related posts that might be of interes...A couple of related posts that might be of interest are here:<br /><br />http://femlegaltheory.blogspot.com/2011/11/making-living-makeup-and-blurry-line.html<br /><br />and here:<br /><br />http://femlegaltheory.blogspot.com/2008/01/just-when-i-was-thinking-id-stop-dyeing.html<br /><br />Lisa R. Pruitthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16469550950363542801noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7302245627574027504.post-35276358776381577452012-09-05T12:59:54.825-07:002012-09-05T12:59:54.825-07:00This comment has been removed by the author.Jihan A. Kahssayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14930212007071356669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7302245627574027504.post-84884153911009457822012-09-05T12:59:39.062-07:002012-09-05T12:59:39.062-07:00There are economic benefits to women that come out...There are economic benefits to women that come out of the Cosmetics industry as well. For one, how many women do Cosmetic companies employ through all the ranks of seniority? For many women, Cosmetics is a career, an area of expertise, and a creative expression of themselves. Eliminating the industry as a whole could result in a loss to many women benefiting from that industry.Jihan A. Kahssayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14930212007071356669noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7302245627574027504.post-53963519433063383122012-09-04T19:36:15.397-07:002012-09-04T19:36:15.397-07:00"My first thought: imagine what else we could..."My first thought: imagine what else we could put $80 billion dollars towards: education, medicine, food, or even leisure activities!"<br /><br />I think we need to be careful to distinguish between cosmetics as artistic expression and cosmetics as self-destructive “self-improvement.” I can easily imagine cosmetics – or any other method of altering your physical appearance – as being an empowering act of self-expression. The examples that come to mind are usually ones that cut against stereotypes: dying your hair purple, men wearing eyeliner, or women shaving their heads. But I would go further and claim that even traditional uses of cosmetics are good if they are in the service of authentic self-expression. If it’s in the service of expression, I would say that it is worth the $80 billion. Unfortunately, it is difficult to distinguish between authentic self-expression and the expression of inculcated, internalized social norms.<br /> <br />"Selling cosmetics requires selling the message that a women's worth is, at least in part, based on her physical attractiveness as defined by the cosmetic companies. This focus on the physical leads to a prevalence of self-objectification by women, which is then accepted throughout society."<br /><br />I’ve been thinking a lot about the implied claim in these kinds of statements: that it’s OK to value people on their intelligence, education, or success. However, the ability to succeed in these areas may be just as unobtainable through hard work, and just as dependent on – to borrow a Rawlsian phrase – the “natural lottery” as physical attractiveness. To me, it seems that the issue is not focusing on the body rather than the mind, but the differential valuation of humans in general. There is no “correct” way to value others, and I see no reason to not value all humans equally – regardless of both their physical or mental “success.”Samhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02846170473126452754noreply@blogger.com