Woman around the world are expected to look and act perfect every minute of the day. There are impossible standards set for every girl from an early age. They must appear perfect and beautiful at all times while simultaneously “doing it all.” They must be intelligent but stay modest, funny but not obnoxious, thin but not too skinny, and beautiful but not too vain. There is a high price to pay for “proper” womanhood. However, women are starting to fight these old, outdated norms and embracing our freedom from societal standards. It is time to take these insane expectations and throw them out the window.
Physical Barriers
Throughout history, beauty standards for women have shifted. While in Ancient Greece it was desirable for a woman to be full-figured and pale, now it is preferred to be almost dangerously thin with a glowing tan. Through Photoshop and cartoons women now see exclusively unrealistic standards of beauty. Barbie dolls and video game characters are created with inhuman proportions, yet young girls grow up seeing this standard lauded. It is incredibly dangerous to encourage.
Every bit of a woman’s body can be altered to appear more cosmetic. Plastic surgery can change anything from one’s nose to one’s butt. There are surgeons and doctors all over the country who specialize in beautification techniques that never existed before. Using a general and cosmetic dentist in Lakewood, OH is no longer simply responsible for maintaining one’s teeth, but for making sure they are cosmetic as well. A dermatologist in Los Angeles is now expected to recommend plastic surgery rather than simply curing acne. New extremes emerge every day — new ways to convince young girls that they must look different in order to be perfect.
Dangers of the Perfect Body
Because of these insane beauty standards, young girls’ self-esteem has plummeted. Eating disorders have become a huge problem in America, affecting approximately 30 million individuals of all ages and genders. And while diet and exercise is healthy, it can sometimes become dangerous when the motivation behind it is purely for vanity. Fortunately, there are state-of-the-art facilities and gyms all over the country that put the main focus on health, rather than looks, such as this premier fitness facility in Chatham, NJ. For those who need to lose weight or diet for health reasons, it is reasonable to explore methods like Nutrisystem or ephedra diet pills. But not staying at a weight that is healthy can cause serious health risks and may even be fatal.
Workplace Standards
It used to be a plus for woman to seem helpless and unintelligent. This standard has changed, but not drastically enough. Women everywhere are still constant victims of “mansplaining” and being overlooked in a professional setting. Even working women who have spent their lives advancing in their career still deal with men in lower positions telling them how to do their job.
Women must go above and beyond just to be taken seriously. A female lawyer can’t simply suggest taking on a client; she must also be an expert on the client’s case. A woman can’t merely imply an interest in investing; she has to know the EPS, beta, and 52-week low of any stock. She can’t just suggest a new website design; she must be certain it will bring more people to the business.
Numbers don’t lie, and the facts state that there is still a definite pay gap between men and women. Only 54 of the top 1000 companies in America are run by female CEOs. There is a greater issue here, and it is no wonder that women have a hard time breaking into a world where they seem unwelcome.
Social Tensions
Throughout history, women have been made out to be the property of men, meant to be seen and never heard. The woman’s place was in the home and her job was to produce children (preferably male). These gender roles, unfortunately, still permeate society. Women continue to fight from a position of weakness, whereas men automatically fall into a position of strength. Women are taught to stay quiet and accept things they do not agree with from a young age, because doing otherwise would come off as bossy and unladylike. There are many hurdles and hoops women are expected to jump through to get to the same position as men. But they are finally getting to a place where they are refusing to jump through those hoops anymore.
Who Needs It?
The rules that women are expected to uphold were established by men many, many years ago. Quite frankly, they are sick of it. As they continue to push boundaries and redefine what it means to be a woman, women don’t tell only his-story; they are ready to start making her-story.
Just remember that you don’t need to face these challenges alone. It’s very possible to get binge eating disorder treatment in Portland and set yourself on the right path forward.
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