The Myth of Beauty. Stereotypes Against Women

An iconic work by American writer and journalist Naomi Wolf. In it, the author discusses where stereotypical notions of female beauty come from and why they limit women's freedom no less than patriarchal "household slavery." Physical perfection becomes an obsession... for women, while failing to meet it is a source of suffering. But even upon reaching the ideal, a woman still loses, as she sacrifices her natural beauty, health, energy, sexuality, and sometimes even her life to the accepted standard of appearance. The author argues that in the modern world, a woman is capable of deciding how she wants to live and look, without regard to the dictates of the ruthless "myth of beauty." Undoubtedly, the book can be fascinating and useful for men as well, as in the course of its transformation, the myth increasingly involves them in its sphere of influence, imposing often harsh and senseless rules on them too.