The Beauty Myth

The “Religion” chapter is one of the most extensive in The Beauty Myth. Wolf tackles what she considers the patriarchal aspects of major religions like Christianity, the historic links between beauty and religion, and the “new religion” of the beauty myth embedded in mass culture. Wolf argues that this new religion draws upon Christian themes such as original sin and disseminates them to control women psychologically through media like product advertising. The author refers to this as the “Church of Beauty,” with the beauty myth as its gospel (86). In an era where organized religion has waning importance, the beauty myth steps as a method for controlling women. She also underscores what she describes as the prevalent “antiwoman bias of the Judeo-Christian tradition” throughout the chapter (92).

First, Wolf examines the “metaphysical similarities” between religious rites and those of commodified beauty. At times, Catholic language makes its way into advertising copy, with references to “crusades” against weight loss and “miracle” products. These similarities are not coincidental because they directly borrow from old faiths to construct a new “religion” used to control women with tried and tested symbols and strategies. This religion has emerged as women gain more power in the public sphere because “oppression abhors vacuum” (89). Patriarchy seeks to keep women marginalized, and businesses want to keep them buying cosmetic products.

The author provides several examples of religious symbols in mass culture and product advertising. Some involve direct religious references, and others are connected more loosely. First, she divides society into the “Elect” (the fashion models) and the “Damned” (all other women). The Elect receives preferential treatment, whereas the Damned may be condemned for eternity for not measuring up. Male creation of women also plays a prominent role in the new “religion.” After all, the first woman, Eve, was made from Adam’s rib. Wolf argues that this subordinate position—being dependent on the male gaze—remains part of the beauty myth. The male gaze and commodified beauty legitimize a woman’s body. Men are treated differently since patriarchal Christianity teaches that God made man in his own image. In this way, the creation myth is linked to elective cosmetic surgery. One professional journal on this subject described female flesh as “clay of meat” (94). The author also finds parallels between the original sin in Christianity and the new religion of commodified beauty, where the original sin for which women must constantly atone is being born female.

After this, Wolf locates more general death and rebirth metaphors. These concepts are present in many religions, not just Christianity. She uses a metaphor of a woman who goes to a cosmetic counter at a large department store, removes her old makeup, and has new makeup applied by a professional. A new and supposedly improved look is directly related to aspirations of upward social mobility; women can be reborn by buying the right products and changing their looks, aspiring toward beauty.

The author also points out the way the historic menstruation taboos are linked to the eating taboos in the new “religion” of beauty:

‘Menstruation taboos,’ writes Rosalind Miles, ‘[…] meant that for a quarter of their adult lives, one week in every four, women of earlier times were regularly stigmatized and set apart, disabled and debarred from the life of their society.’ Their cycle defined women as unclean, sexually repugnant during their ‘bad days,’ irrational, and unfit for public positions. Women feel similarly diminished and excluded by the ‘fat days’ phase of their weight cycle, which serves the same purpose by characterizing women even to themselves as morally weak, tainted, and sexually unworthy. (97)

The diet market has a vested interest in women feeling guilty about eating and ashamed of failing to stay on diets. It is a lucrative scheme because women are conditioned to constantly pay into this industry, as most diets fail. The market for anti-aging products and services, according to Wolf, is analogous because women continue to change as they age.

Wolf argues that the religious undercurrent in the beauty industry is far-reaching, with women experiencing a sort of premature death when their beauty fades. In her opinion, women lose social status when they no longer adhere to the stringent standards of the new “religion.” This new religion primarily uses human psychology to reinforce itself rather than direct means, and women self-regulate by internalizing the commandments of the beauty myth. Wolf argues that it is easy to manipulate women with the religion of commodified beauty because they were primed by Christianity’s prevalence in American culture.

The next relevant category is light, which is linked to Christian Grace. In the history of art, painters often portrayed their subjects lit with divine light. In the new “religion” of beauty, similar symbols and techniques persist. For example, the author compares skin creams to “holy oil” because they promise “radiance” in magazine ads. Illumination in advertising, either of the product or the model advertising it, underscores the best features.

Wolf describes the way cosmetic products are marketed and sold as a scheme. She argues that most skin creams do little or nothing of what is being promised. She also raises questions about FDA (US Food and Drug Administration) approval of the skin creams and whether they are recognized as safe and effective, which would require scientific testing. Wolf argues that rather than investing time and money into testing every product on the market, women are encouraged to buy things based on faith; if you adhere to a beauty ritual, you can expect miracles.

After this, the author reminds the reader of issues beyond product advertising. She argues that aging is not women’s real enemy and is simply a distraction from institutional discrimination. For example, when a woman divorces, her standard of living falls substantially, the ex-husband’s lifestyle improves, and many women do not receive court-ordered child support. Other examples include earning less than men due to the wage gap, sexual harassment in the workplace, and age-based discrimination in hiring.