Female Dissatisfaction
Dissatisfaction is a commonality among every human experience. Whether this be in an individual’s sex life, in the quality of their relationships, or their esteem of the self, humanity has been conditioned to search for the better and the best in all respects of their lives. It is heavily reflected in today’s consumer culture and the idea that perfection is not only attainable, but expected, especially of modern day women. The dissatisfaction found in one aspect of a woman’s life, trickles into the other. While the alleged remedy for an unhappy life is materialism, this creates consumer’s guilt, which further hurts ones’ sense of self. Throughout this paper, female dissatisfaction will be explored, specifically how a woman’s pursuit to find a male companion is related to consumer culture, body image and romantic relationships.
Women are bred to be dissatisfied, an ideal originated from their taught body insecurities. In Woody Allen’s Vicky Cristina Barcelona, the theme of the chronically dissatisfied woman is a thread throughout. The American Cristina is the embodiment of modern day consumer culture, the new and improved piece of the puzzle, molded to complete their dynamic trio. In the film, Cristina seems to have it all: youth, beauty, love, sex, however, it is still not enough. The female mind has been trained to believe that no level of happiness is enough, no matter the circumstances. Whether in romantic relationships or the relationship with oneself, women are pressured to fit the standard of optimal attractiveness. In a world where women are “defined by beauty,” cosmetic companies have become the rulers (Chaurasia). Whether it be the makeup industry or weight loss programs, women consume products in pursuit of perfection. Liposuction is reportedly in the top five category for most sought after cosmetic procedure among all age categories, including people between the ages of 13-19 years (Barthlolomew and Faries). No matter the age, there is always a source for female dissatisfaction and a company willing to extort that insecurity.
When observing heterosexual relationships, the male gaze is a heavy influencer of female body image. There are a set of criteria men look for when choosing the optimal female companion, many of which pertain to their physical appearance. Wide hips and a small waist are equated with ideal childbearing abilities, coincidentally, these traits are also ranked as the ideal ratio of attractiveness for women in the eyes of men. A weight to hip ratio of 0.7 was found to be the “most attractive” shape on a woman. Therefore, her best bet in finding a male companion is to meet this standard and make herself as attractive as she possibly can. In order to fulfill this ideal, women spend a “disproportionate amount” of time targeting abdominal fat loss, whether it be through exercise or diet supplements, a small waist is a common goal amongst women. In a study measuring anti-fat attitudes, 46% of the participants reported that they would rather lose a year of their life than be obese, 15% were willing to give up ten (Barthlolomew and Faries). In analyzing female self-esteem, it was found that lesbian women “tend to be more satisfied with their bodies in comparison to heterosexual women.” It was also stated that homosexual women are more accepting of varying female body shapes than heterosexual women are, “due to the lack of concern with attracting a male mate” (Kidwai).
When comparing levels of satisfaction in heterosexual versus homosexual relationships, the same sex couples were “more likely to have long term relationships.” This was largely due to the openness present in the homosexual relationships, pertaining particularly to their ability to convey sexual desires to their partner. This was an issue in the heterosexual couples, where both men and women were unsatisfied with their sex lives and found communication difficult (Schurman-Kauflin). For women specifically, it was found that homosexuals “have higher levels of satisfaction within [their] romantic relationships” (Kidwai). Interestingly enough, there was a study conducted comparing body ideals of homosexual and heterosexual males. The straight males were significantly heavier than the gay males, and they also chose “a significantly higher…weight” when asked which weight a female would find most attractive. Whereas homosexual men were more likely to choose an underweight ideal for optimal male attraction. It could be argued that the pressures of thinness are inherent to those looking for a male mate, putting them at an “increased risk for developing eating disorders” (Herzog, et al).
There is a strive for perfection that stifles womankind and affects every aspect of the female experience. The beauty industry reaps the benefits of pushing women down in order to empower them with a new set of eye shadows and dewy-dream skin in a bottle. It was interesting, however, that the research showed male gratification was a source of insecurity in both men and women when looking to attract the male gaze. The pressures to fulfill male fantasies by altering one’s physical appearance is not solely a female issue, but is a response to male ideals. It is surprising how much power people put into male approval, while women are conditioned to find the right balance between strong and weak, vocal and silent, independent and helpless. All of which is done to aid a patriarchal system that should not have been developed in the first place.
Works Cited
Allen, Woody. “Vicky Cristina Barcelona.” 2008.
Chaurasia, Priyanka. "Beauty Standards." Encyclopedia of Race and Racism, edited by Patrick L. Mason, 2nd ed., vol. 1, Macmillan Reference USA, 2013, pp. 216-220. Gale Virtual Reference Library, http://link.galegroup.com.ezproxy.library.ubc.ca/apps/doc/CX4190600065/GVRL?u=ubcolumbia&sid=GVRL&xid=f339c1bf. Accessed 25 Feb. 2019.
Faries, Mark D, and John B Bartholomew. “The Role of Body Fat in Female Attractiveness.” Evolution and Human Behaviour, vol. 33, no. 6, 11 July 2012, pp. 672–681., doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.evolhumbehav.2012.05.002.
Herzog, Newman, et al. “Body Image Dissatisfaction in Homosexual and Heterosexual Males.” The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 1991. Accessed February 22nd 2019. DOI: 10.1097/00005053-199106000-00009
Kidwai, Ammaar Ahmad. "The Impact of the Quality of Heterosexual and Homosexual Romantic Relationships on a Woman's Body Dissatisfaction and Eating Patterns." Order No. MS22117 University of Toronto (Canada), 2013. Ann Arbor: ProQuest. Web. 25 Feb. 2019.
Schurman-Kauflin, Deborah. “Gay Relationships Can Be More Stable Than Straight Ones.” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, 19 Nov. 2013, www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/disturbed/201311/gay-relationships-can-be-more-stable-straight-ones.