#bc as the writer says trying to live up to the standards u.s. society puts on women is a job in and of itself | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

calliopechild · 2 years ago

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“When we lie about the basic values of our culture (that women must be beautiful) and yet do everything in our power to adhere to that value (we kill ourselves to make ourselves beautiful) and lie about the labor women must put into adhering to the unspoken value of our culture (we have to be effortless), we ensure that nothing will ever change. We can’t change our culture when we lie about what the culture is. We can’t accept ourselves until we stop pretending that we already do. And we can’t value our work until we acknowledge that this is work—this, THIS (please imagine me gesturing expansively at the world)—that existing in a body as a woman in this world is work.”

#this is a really interesting look at what kind of burden the expectations for women are #especially in the experience of an asian american woman #bc as the writer says trying to live up to the standards u.s. society puts on women is a job in and of itself #women are encouraged if not expected to shell out hundreds of dollars on creams and serums and wraps that might not even work #all for the sake of trying to maintain the illusion that we're not aging--or if we are; we're doing it gracefully and flawlessly #and not like...y'know actual human beings who get age spots and laugh lines and wrinkles #and we're constantly caught in THE most ridiculous catch-22:#if you don't try you're ''letting yourself go''#but if you try ''too hard'' you're high-maintenance or vain #and we can't just say fuck it because it even impacts our ability to get hired #there was a study recently where several male execs said they probably wouldn't hire a female candidate who wasn't wearing makeup #bc it meant 'she wouldn't put in the effort'#anyway society is a curse enjoy your thursday evening #i gotta go back to my blorbos or i'll work myself into a rage spiral

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