This has been something that Ive been thinking about for a long time now. Going back to my first post on this blog where I discuss why I got into beauty, I touch on this issue a little bit. But I wanted to go a little bit more in depth with my thoughts on this subject after a really inspiring talk I had the other day with Chummy.
In the very beginning of the feminist movement, back in the 60s and 70s, feminists urged women not to participate in sexist customs, especially those that could allow men to take advantage of and objectify them. Make up was the most clear example at the forefront of this movement. And they had a point. After all, the make up industry was advertising to women that they were not good enough as they naturally are. "Buy our products and be beautiful", "Buy our products and be desirable to men", "Buy our products and be accepted" were not uncommon, but blatantly sexist, advertising narratives. Most delightfully, the people accruing wealth from the millions of dollars women spent on beauty products were, you guessed it, predominately male. Further widening the pay gap between sexes. This "woman tax" as we might call it today, forced women, in essence, to buy these products in order to be successful and secure in herself. This put women behind financially and in other ways as well- more time spent getting ready in the morning, more time taking off makeup in the evening. Even more time participating in things not directly make up related, but things that stem from the ideas perpetrated in make up advertisements- like shaving, plucking, applying scented lotion, etc. These rituals took hours out of a woman's free time, and if women didn't choose to participate in these feminine rituals, that is if they did not wear makeup, shave their arm pits, or pluck their eyebrows, they were ridiculed by society. They were less likely to be hired (they were already far less likely to be hired than men), less likely to advance, and less likely to succeed. All these things, in effect, took up women's valuable time, preoccupied them in these rituals, and kept them behind in the work place, and widened the gap between men and women's earnings.
The maddening thing is, that all these problems that existed back in the 60s and 70s still exist today. Women are still expected to participate in feminine rituals to some extent. Advertisements still objectify women and tell them they are not good enough on their own. There is still a sexist pay gap. Gender stereotypes are still strongly enforced in many places. So you may be wondering where I'm going with this, as a make up & beauty enthusiast who considers herself a feminist. Why would I want to participate (nay, vehemently participate) in something that has been so oppressive and harmful for people like me who identify as female for so many years? Ill tell you why. Because fuck that shit.
Ill be the first to say that the struggles of women with oppression are in no way comparable to the struggles and oppression of any other group. Apples and oranges as far as the facts of the situations. However, I will say that I have noticed that many past and contemporary rebellions against oppression have one thing in common- they take some aspect of their oppression and reinvent it to represent their freedom. Feminists have done this with the word "bitch", a sexist put down used to describe virtually any woman in a leadership position. Bitch Media for example, is a feminist organization with a mission "to provide and encourage an engaged, thoughtful feminist response to mainstream media and popular culture." Taking an aspect of your opression and making it your own seems to be extremely helpful and empowering to those suffering form that oppression. It gives the oppressed control over something that was used to control them. It breaks down its initial meaning and essentially says "this is who we are, this is where we were, and we can make progress from here." In effect, this act links people today to the struggles of their predecessors, giving them strength and hope for the future.
To me, this is what make up and participation in beauty rituals is. Taking something that was oppressive, and turning it into something liberating. Taking something that fed on insecurities and turning it into an act of self love. These acts link me to the hundreds of women of my ancestry who participated in the same rituals every day, and also struggled with sexism. My grandmother was one of the strongest woman I knew, and every day I was with her, I watched her apply lipstick and curl her eyelashes. I also watched her do her job well, be kind to others, and take shit from no one. For me, makeup is a way of being proud of my feminine identity- being unashamedly and loudly a woman. Of course, some people will feel more liberated by not wearing makeup at all, which is absolutely valid. And of course makeup is not gendered- people who identify as male or any other place on the spectrum (or off the spectrum) can also use make up to feel strong, liberated and beautiful like I do. But the very foundation (pun intended) of the feminist movement- allowing equality and choice for women and everyone- makes both choosing to wear make up or choosing to not, a feminist choice.
So for everyone who says "Why are you so insecure?","But thats so shallow!", "What are you trying to hide?", "Who are you doing this for?"... My answer is that I am not insecure, make up does not define me, it gives me strength. Taking pride in your appearance, with make up or not, is not shallow or vein. I am not hiding anything, I am practicing self love. And I'm doing this for me.
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