'Why do so many women put so much effort and money in to feminine 'beauty'?
How have we become so brainwashed about body hair?
All those skin treatments and the hair removal and eyebrow shaping and eye shadow and other cosmetics, and hair colour and conditioners and manicures and pedicures. Why, why, why? Women could give money and time instead to their church or to a Humanist organization! If you're religious, then accept that gods gave you body hair, OK? If you're atheist can't you see that the body hair evolved so it's not a bad thing?
2014-05-14T14:04:50Z
http://westislandgazette.com/images/story/2013/09/17/can-i-work-in-quebecs-civil-service/ This is a photo of me. I have way more self confidence than most women, eh?
2014-05-14T14:07:47Z
Where did men get this preference for minimal body hair? Are some men pedophiles and want women to look like little girls?
2014-05-14T14:23:05Z
Women are impressionable - yes - do you think this is due to the massive advertising campaigns that tell women we are nasty creatures without the beauty products? I think the economy would collapse if women stayed away from beauty products and procedures.
Anonymous2014-05-14T15:16:16Z
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No disrespect ma'am but you don't look like you need to be overly concerned about hair removal.
On the other hand, if I don't remove hair for 2 weeks I become very furry and I had previously been bullied about this as a child even! ("the girl with the tash" is enough to bring any 11 year old to tears. God forbid they saw my arms or legs)
As for the rest of the things you've stated: ~Skin treatments -> Clear skin is a sign of good health ~Hair removal -> Fashion. And soft clear skin is often associated with feminineness (like soft hairless breasts as opposed to hairy hard chests). Not sure if this is a biological thing or a mental deep seeded assumption. ~Eyebrow shaping -> An arched eyebrow is sexy because a) it flatters the face if done correctly b) Highlights womanly features (biologically men and women DO have different faces. And certain things about a woman's can make her appear more "fertile".) ~ Eyeshadow -> Fashion ~ Cosmetics -> Fashion (and can also make your face look biologicially more fertile - e.g. flushed cheeks, cupids bow on the lips - all these things show presence of certain hormones in a lady) ~ Hair colour and conditioners - Fashion and again healthy young looking hair has something to do with balanced hormones. My hair is stringy and "lifeless" because I have a thyroid problem which CAN affect fertility ~ Manicure and Pedicures -> Fashion
In short, it's usually down to a (usually stupid) fashion we've created ourselves. Women in the past never felt the need to do most of these things as they never saw others wear make up etc. Then it started slowly with rouge and then red lips (both fertility indicators). Then the healthy thick hair. And then people's expectations went up and up and women ended up unconsciously competing to be attractive to males, as not agreeing to these standards often left a woman feeling undesirable. And very few women can cope with that.
Oh and as for pubic hair removal, that was a cultural thing , trimming it started for the purpose of cleanliness. And I guess people also decided to raise their expectations on that too.
And finally I would like to state that there are also some tough requirements on men. There's a reason guys who are 6 feet tall have less self esteem issues than those who are 5 feet.
Probably not a coincidence that the very things that you rail against are what you seem to have the least of.
The physical, feminine traits - some of which you list, are hardwired into our psyches.
The hourglass shape, smooth skin, symmetrical features, high voice, smaller shape etc. are traits that men are attracted to without any choice on their part.
It isn't rocket science that accentuating and amplifying these traits will get more attention from more men.
You can condemn it from now until doomsday, but that's the way it is.