Reviews tagging 'Sexual assault'

The Beauty Myth: How Images of Beauty Are Used Against Women by Naomi Wolf

7 reviews

lucegee's review against another edition

informative inspiring reflective medium-paced

4.5

Throughout reading this, I’ve constantly considered this to be an essential feminist text. After finishing it, I still agree. Not rating the full five stars as I hoped for more discussion on women that aren’t white or middle class or students. On reflection though,  perhaps a woman writing from those experiences is not the most qualified to discuss specific pressures on women that are part of these groups. 
One thing that really struck me was knowing that this book was published 35 years ago and so many of the emerging pressures of ‘beauty’ and anxieties of what is to come at the time of writing and publishing are exactly what women and girls are facing today. Cosmetic surgery, diet culture and personal grooming has far from improved from the state it was in 35 years ago. Today, it is a strict ritual overflowing with obligatory purchases and exclusion by non-conforming. As well as advertising and pressuring male validation, we have started to inflict unattainable imagery of ourselves under the idea that we are empowering ourselves and each other. In many cases, it does the opposite. This is why I would urge EVERYONE to read this regardless of gender as Wolf tells us how this is and will affect all of us. Profit will always be the best interest of those who wish to control us. Wolf mentions in the final chapter that psychologists estimate that eating disorders in men will increase significantly due to the introduction of physical male ‘beauty’ within advertising in order to instill insecurity which will therefore sell more unnecessary products. 
If you are debating reading this book, abridged or unabridged, I would urge you to do it. I had to restrict how much I underlined as it is full of quotes that are perfect in summing up what ‘The Beauty Myth’ is about. 100% recommend. 

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Content Warnings

Minor: Body shaming, Domestic abuse, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Religious bigotry, Pregnancy, Sexual harassment, and Dysphoria

elfi_reads's review against another edition

dark informative tense medium-paced

3.0

It’s an old classic, and should be read as an old classic. Not a modern literature. There are way more people than men and women in today’s world and we should talk about them. That not only men r*pe, not only women go through all the violence because of the ED and beauty myth, the world is much more complex than men are bad and women are victims. Patriarchy is a huge problem and becomes more of a problem every day, but we don’t need to use old books like they mirror reality and especially realities of marginalised communities. There was also no (or very little) mention of the race and Disability struggle when it comes to femininity/masculinity, beauty, violence and ugliness. But again: it’s an old book. And we should treat it that way.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Mental illness, Misogyny, Physical abuse, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Suicide, Violence, and Forced institutionalization

Moderate: Vomit

R*pe is a HUGE thing in this book, I don’t understand how people can mark it as “mild trigger warning for sexualised violence” and such. There is at least one chapter only about r*pe, but it s also topic in good half or more of the book. As well as description of different SA practices, eating disorder practices including “how they hunger” and “how they v*mit”.

scottishgremlin's review against another edition

challenging dark informative slow-paced

5.0

A comprehensive dissection of beauty standards and how they are used to oppress women. 

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Eating disorder, Misogyny, and Sexism

Moderate: Sexual assault

Minor: Racism

elisalasater's review against another edition

challenging informative reflective sad tense slow-paced

3.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body horror, Body shaming, Eating disorder, Mental illness, Misogyny, Rape, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Medical content, and Medical trauma

Moderate: Physical abuse, Suicidal thoughts, Suicide, Abortion, Schizophrenia/Psychosis , and Pregnancy

Minor: Classism

nickyd80's review against another edition

challenging slow-paced

3.0

The way it's written is quite heavy going. Lots of statistics and quotes, long sentences. It's also pretty outdated now but it really does make you think. And it makes you angry. That's a good thing, we should be angry.

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body shaming, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, and Violence

itszosia's review against another edition

challenging informative reflective slow-paced

4.75

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Body shaming, Bullying, Eating disorder, Fatphobia, Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Physical abuse, Rape, Self harm, Sexism, Sexual assault, Sexual violence, Religious bigotry, and Sexual harassment

kasey__'s review against another edition

challenging informative inspiring slow-paced

2.5

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Body shaming, Eating disorder, and Fatphobia

Moderate: Rape and Sexual assault