Female fear: The body, gender, and the burdens of beauty.

Abstract

The popularity of beauty culture is a constant reminder of the ways in which the female body is associated with fear. The decisions regarding participation in beauty culture seem to revolve around the fear-inspired need to reiterate femininity while projecting an image of self-control. Using cultural theory and ethnography, I analyze the historical and contemporary position of the female body, showing how it has been so easily associated with fear and how beauty culture serves as a band-aid for that fear. Looking specifically at clinical beauty practices such as tanning salons, day spas, and cosmetics counters, I interview beauty employees and perform close readings of various cultural texts including advertisements, brochures, and physical environments. I then turn to contemporary women's novels, examining how a new generation of romances---including the very popular Bridget Jones novels by Helen Fielding---is dealing with female body fear. Throughout this study, I investigate the structure which has allowed the contemporary hysteria of beauty. Using Elaine Showalter's three-part structure, I analyze the "physician enthusiasts and theorists; unhappy, vulnerable patients; and supportive cultural environments" which have resulted in beauty culture's long-standing power. Finally, I attempt to understand what women believe they are gaining from participation in beauty culture and compare these beliefs with those of some feminist critics.