Cosmetic Surgery And The Oppression Of Women In Patriarchal Society
579 Words3 Pages
Vincent Chow
Biomedical Ethics
MED 30000
9/27/15
Cosmetic Surgery and the Oppression of Women in Patriarchal Society For thousands of years, women have been oppressed by the bureaucratic, patriarchal societies of monarchism and now capitalism. Women have been systematically denied ownership of land, denied the right to vote, prevented from having leading positions, forced to submit to males in the household, subjected to unequal pay, denied abortion, forced into prostitution, forced to abide by beauty standards, of course, and etc. Even the word “woman” itself is a relic of oppression. The word “woman” includes the word “man” implying that women are a part of men instead of being separate persons. The purpose behind this much oppression was to keep the powerful males in control of society and divide commoner males and females. The…show more content… Beauty standards in particular were utilized to oppress women in multiple aspects. Some of these beauty standards were used to restrict them physically. Such physical restrictions would prevent women from working independent of others and empowering themselves. Ability to bring oneself empowerment also takes mental strength. Women were pressured into accepting certain beauty standards and would be alienated in society if anyone woman was to reject them. Since many beauty standards have been unachievable, it is clear that beauty standards are ways to degrade women mentally. Beauty standards have been used to dehumanize women. Historically, women have been considered subservient to men, so the wife a man got would be considered the husband’s achievement. In contemporary society, women such as these are called “trophy wives” and are judged by beauty instead of personhood; women, today, are much more