The Beauty Myth (book)

*The Beauty Myth* by Naomi Wolf examines how societal standards of beauty serve to control and limit women’s lives. Wolf argues that these ideals are created and reinforced by media and culture to maintain existing power dynamics, often discouraging women from pursuing equality or independence by emphasizing physical appearance over substance. The book explores how the obsession with beauty can lead to harmful behaviors, low self-esteem, and distract women from addressing social and political issues. Ultimately, it reveals that the pursuit of an impossible ideal sustains systemic inequality, urging women to challenge these standards for greater empowerment.