Linda N. Edelstein, Ph.D.

Bodies As Objects

by | Jul 6, 2012 | Personal Growth | 0 comments

Women learn that their bodies are always visible and available to be judged by unknown (male?) watchers. Having your body evaluated constantly is one cause of women wanting so desperately to

control their bodies. That mindset makes women treat their

bodies as objects that need to be controlled. Keep in mind, women HATE it when men treat them like objects, and I agree completely, but we have to remember that we also do it to ourselves – we treat our bodies like objects to be controlled, fixed, shaped and molded.

Think about selling things to women – we are sold clothes to hide pounds, underwear to suck in moveable parts (the woman who invented Spanx has made a fortune), lipstick to make your lips more kissable and/or plump, eye stuff to make your eyes look mysterious, shoes to break your ankle (oops, I mean make your legs look longer). I’m not being critical of others– I have owned most of this crap and my closet is also filled with clothes that I consider to be flattering.

My point? Here it is. How can a woman not feel mildly defective when she has come to believe that she needs controls and adjustments?????

Source: Nita McKinley, Psych of Women Quarterly, Vol 35 #4, December, 2011.

 

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