The Substance, a new film starring Demi Moore, opens this Friday, tackling Hollywood’s impossible beauty standards. The movie follows a 50-year-old actor who undergoes a mysterious procedure promising to make her look younger by unlocking her DNA. In response to this theme, four women share their experiences with beauty standards.
V (formerly Eve Ensler) recounts meeting a woman who underwent 26 plastic surgeries in pursuit of perfection, revealing the damaging impact of societal pressures. Arwa Mahdawi reflects on how controlling one’s body earns respect and the tightrope women must walk to meet beauty standards in various industries. Laura Barton discusses the self-erasing work women undertake to conform to societal ideals, while Kate McCusker shares her experience of feeling pressured to buy beauty products and witnessing teenage girls falling into the same trap.
These personal accounts shed light on the harmful effects of beauty standards on women’s lives, from body image issues to the pressure to always look younger. The women’s stories highlight the importance of self-acceptance and challenging societal norms that dictate unrealistic standards of beauty. They reveal the struggle many women face in reconciling their own identities with external expectations, urging society to embrace authenticity and diversity over unrealistic ideals. In a world where beauty standards continue to evolve, these narratives serve as a reminder of the importance of self-love and acceptance.
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Photo credit www.theguardian.com
