ยป Mystique, Myth, and Other Oppressions
Women are oppressed in the modern era with virtue systems. Saturate culture with an image of virtuous womanness, and that’s what girls will want to be and men will want from their partners.
The Feminine Mystique, written by Friedan in 1963, detailed the chief means of oppression of Western middle-class women up to the Sexual Revolution. The Feminine Mystique said that what makes you a good woman is your family. Your husband, your children, and your household.
The Beauty Myth, written by Wolf in 1990, details the chief means of “sexually liberated” Western middle-class women. The Beauty Myth says that what makes you a woman is your beauty. Your sexual partners, your sexuality, and your wardrobe.
Let me take a guess at what’s up next:
The Worthiness Myth* is complementary to The Beauty Myth. It says, in order to get a beautiful woman, a man must have wealth, power, and status. Just as women are obsessed with beauty, so are men obsessed with acquisitions.
The Health Myth is an offshoot or repackaging of The Beauty Myth. Instead of saying “all you have is your beauty”, it says “all you have is your youth and health”. Facials are replaced with cleanses, diets are replaced with veganism and organic food, designer clothes are replaced with yoga paraphernalia. I believe this is particularly prevalent in educated women under 40 on the West Coast.
* This is a lame name, I’ll come up with something better for the MPF book. 
[...] difference that might be far more deeply ingrained in our culture, is the reproductive window: babies are optimally produced by young women. This is said to explain, [...]
The Clock is Ticking, Sisters and Brothers | MentalPolyphonics
27 Apr 09 at 11:42 am
[...] some good summary of third-wave feminism; eg: Consider how patriarchal civilization has managed to keep women in hand for all these millennia. Among other methods of social control, women are almost always given a series of either-or [...]
Wolf on Jolie | MentalPolyphonics
16 Jun 09 at 11:42 am