There is no doubt about the fact that when it comes to beauty standards, women are held to far higher expectations than men.
From the shaming of women who are skinny to the celebration of those same women after certain periods, the female body experiences severe policing.
Now, one of the tools used to police women is makeup. Women are often encouraged to wear makeup at major events while men can show up with their faces being the way it was intended to be.
However, the beauty and fashion industry also represent art and creativity. Women have been a part of this creativity.
It is therefore important to thoroughly interrogate if concepts like makeup are inherently sexist and ways to engage them as feminist women.
To do this, Urban Woman Magazine recently asked some women to share their thoughts.
Read their responses below.
V
I think makeup represents a double standard for women. ‘Oh you are pretty without make-up’. It is a backhanded compliment.
A guy who was once interested in dating me called me early in the morning because he said he wanted to see my real face.
And all the endless jokes about women wearing makeup.
I think the whole thing is damned if you do, damned if you don’t.
You are made to feel like a ‘basic girl’ because you don’t wear makeup and in the same light, when you wear makeup you are just vain.
Another example is:
Brides are expected to spend heavily on makeup even when they do not necessarily care for it.
And the brides who opt out of wearing makeup are considered ‘brave’.
J
I honestly think this is a myth. Have you actually seen what the black girls are doing with make up?
I really get that it can be sexist towards women but then we should practice love for our skin tones and bodies.
Because honestly the range for makeup for the dark skinned girlies is very very low.
And so are the make up styles and colour and texture ranges.
I do believe that make up can be twisted into something that makes women feel they cannot love who they are but it’s also a tool for beautification. It’s an enhancer.
And to me a downright art form.
Angel Nduka-Nwosu is a writer, journalist and editor. She moonlights occasionally as a podcaster on As Angel Was Sayin’. Catch her on all socials @asangelwassayin.