A2 LL - FEMINISTS AND THE RIGHT TO BE UGLY - SOME NOTES

Here are some key notes from Feminists and the Right to be Ugly by Jill Tweedie

• Father was a strict Christian and therefore very critical of any vain tendancies of JT when she was growing up.

• As a result JT developed a very strong response to compliments from men. She was criticasl when they complimented either appearance or intelligence. Developed a healthy perspective on vainity.

• Her father's attitude should have made JT sympathetic to modern militant feminists in that they hate the beauty industry. Vainity is a form of exploitation.

• There is a strong contrast between male and female appearance. Men are given freedom.

• Trying to pay attention to appearance is dull and demands real dedication. More than JT can create.

• She tried this once at a modelling agency but failed

•  Modern feminists dispise the beauty industry and promote freedom for women to wear and make up any way they like.

• Once, how one looked was linked to success. But now women's growing economic independence means they ar eno longer dependent upon their looks.

• However men have become more concerned about women's appearance. Their masculine idenity is largely defined by the attractiveness of the women they go out with.  

• And women need to feel they are attractive to themselves before they can feel desirable by anyone else.