from: Alison
Society tells women what they should look like, how they should dress and how they should act. No certain person or group creates these norms; in fact these so called "norms" are all made up, but although they are made up, women allow these standards define personal identity. Many times women constrict themselves to fit into societal norms by any means possible, include giving up their own personal identity. The context of the photograph I took entitled, Unknown Identity, illustrates how teen girls today permit culture to control what they look like. Instead of relying on what she believes to be beautiful and normal, the girl in the photograph allows other people to make that distinction for her. Her friends in the background represent the critical eye that culture has on women and body image. Looking in the mirror to see how she looks, she is constantly aware of how others might see her; she wants to fit into the "beautiful" and "normal" standards society has in place. Society tells her that she shouldn't look a certain way and because her body does not fit these standards, she needs to change. She must stick out certain parts and suck in other body parts in order to fit the societal standards of a beautiful woman. No longer is she an individual, but a representation of what is defined as of standards and attractive.
3 comments:
I completely agree with the so called "norms" these days. It is so hard trying to keep up with what is "in" and can really add up to alot of money. Woman always care about what others think of them so we try to fit in as much as possible by wear the right jeans and doing our hair a certain way. It seems that when a girl wants to be her own person and wants to wear her own style she is called names like wierd, loser, or loner. If one doesnt look like everyone else, it automatically means their. Society really plays a role in how woman see themselves as well as others.
You have to ask yourself why, if you know its wrong, do you still try to fit in society norms? Why cant she just be beautiful and feel beautiful and not worry about whatever people think? I think Alison is right about how when women give into these social norms that they give up their individuality and become and standard. Its a shame that she wont understand until later when she away from all the high school pressure that being different and following your own way is what makes you unique and beautiful.
Social norms affect not only the person but the inner person. Trying to "fit in" can make a person very depressed and have a poor self confidence. Women should just be happy with who they are and not what others want them to be.
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