The New Face of Insecurity: Why Beauty Still Hurts

In 2002, as an Associate Professor at Bowling Green State University, I published a book

titled, “Measuring Up: How Advertising Affects Body Image.” One of the major conclusions I

came to in this early research was that one idealized image of beauty was always dominant

in advertising and across media in any given era; The flat-chested It girl of the 1920s, the

hour-glass full-figure of the 1940s and 50s (Marilyn Monroe, Sophia Loren), the skinny and

natural aesthetic of the 1970s (Twiggy, Lauren Hutton), the overly fit and aerobicized 1980s

and 90s (Jane Fonda, Pamela Anderson), for example. Women would spend an inordinate

amount of time, emotion, and money attempting to emulate that singular ideal, it held

power over the way they saw themselves and others. I concluded that if we could broaden

the representation of “beauty” women were exposed to in the media every day, the power

of the one idealized female body-type would be deflated (maybe even defeated), making

room for alternative definitions. This kind of change could re-wire our brains to be able to

see as “beautiful” larger women, more minority women, transgender women, women

without make-up, and even women whose bodies were disabled. This increase in media

representation would add greater diversity to our “ways of seeing”. A good thing.

In the last 20 years or so this broadening of representation has come to pass. (I feel like

Gene Roddenberry predicting the i-pad). Think musician Lizzo and model Heather Graham,

commercials of all kinds feature larger women (although often for weight loss and diabetes

2 medicines), women of color, transgender women, those without make-up, women with

disabilities, many mixed-race couples, and an emphasis on healthy bodies over skinny

bodies. Yay! Victory!

However, I don’t think all these expanded portrayals solved the core body image problems

for girls and women 30 and below in particular, because there is a more insidious culprit

taking up the slack. A newly defined idealized body type has emerged: Let’s call it

Kardashianesque, and this image is proliferated through social media. Unlike all the other

culturally defined, ideal body types in the past, this one has a cruel twist: For probably 99%

of women, the effect can only be attained through major and multiple plastic surgeries,

including breast and butt implants, rhinoplasties, jawline reshaping, liposuction, lip

plumping, and eyebrow lifting. Social media offers girls and women filters, giving the

average woman a filtered illusion of entry to this impossible standard, at least from the

neck up; reinforcing that not only does the top 1% own 90% of the wealth in the US, only

women in the top 1% have the wealth to be truly “beautiful” in this new era (think Kim

Kardashian and Kylie Jenner).

Why Do Women Suddenly Stink Again? Blame the Body Deodorant Boom

“Thanks, Lume!” In the 2nd wave of feminism women railed against the uses of douches and

FDS body sprays designed to mask that awful natural female scent emanating from our

lady parts. These products caused infections, robbed the vaginal region of the ph balance

needed to avoid yeast infections, and promoted premature dryness. Women took back

their natural scents and men seemed to like that just fine. Anyone heard of pheromones? It

was a major victory on the physiological front, and on the cultural front as well. These

products were advertised with major fear and shame tactics. Fear that the man you are

intimate with will reject you because your lady bits do not smell like flowers. Shame on you

for having any kind of bodily odor whatsoever. So unladylike!

Well, guess what? Lume deodorant has brought that fear and shame back in a new

package. One product can (and should) be used everywhere on your body that may have an

odor—everywhere. Much emphasis is placed on spraying it down one’s pants or workout

gear. This time it’s celebrated as the great liberator for women, providing less confusion

over whether they should take a shower, and relief from wondering whether there was

something wrong with them for having odors anywhere but their armpits. Others, like Old

Spice, have jumped on the bandwagon. Most disappointing is Dove. In the 2000s Dove

launched its “Self-esteem project” where they used “real” women in their ads with a wide

variety of body types. They promised no body distortion or airbrushing. Just real women

with glowing skin because they use Dove products. To my dismay, Dove has recently joined

the product space with Lume and Old Spice, promoting their Whole Body Deodorant, for

“thighs, curves, and privates.”

I doubt the Kardashians even sweat, let alone need Lume. One thing is for sure, you will not

see any of them in a Lume or Dove Whole Body deodorant ad anytime soon. That is for the

other 99% of women to worry about.

Dr. Vickie Shields is a former Dean of Social Sciences at EWU and was most recently the

Provost and Executive Vice President at Nevada State University. In post-retirement she is

now a Career and Life Coach who helps high-achieving women lead without burnout, by

combining compassionate, evidence-based strategy, with intuitive tools. She lives in

Clayton, WA on 10 acres with her partner, Robert, and their three dogs.