Society’s Influence on Women

Society’s Influence on Women

       Portrayals of the ideal woman may differ by gender, age, education and religion. Each nation creates a prototype of a perfect woman and judges those who do not comply to that. We came into this world, not having any prejudices. However, as we grow old we get used to society's forms and look for them constantly. We can take society's gender roles as an example since none of them are innate and we adopt them by age. People tend to be very demanding of women yet they regularly treat them unequally and continue applying double standards in their professional and private lives. As a woman, have you ever found yourself trying to meet people's ceaseless expectations even though they contradict with your nature? Depicting the ideal woman is one of the several subjects that society has a say in. The ideal woman is someone who fulfills society's two main dreams: a perfect personality coupled with an impeccable beauty.

        Good character is a key to happiness in various fields of life as of family and career. Family sets a leading role in shaping children's characters. For instance, most girls grow up with toys that impose motherhood like cooking tools and babies. This way, they are expected to aspire for marriage and create their own perfect family. Planted with these ideas, girls grow up thinking they have to stay obedient to their supposes no matter what. Even if the partner's actions vary to the extent of cheating and violence, women are to be forgiving and faithful. Most women stick up with this burden since they don't want to spoil their marriage's flawless and well-functioning image. Another trait expected from women to be practical in a household. Any kind of urgent stuff may come up but women should be able to handle it with such ease and finesse. Remember that time you got sick, the doctor of the family would step up and you'd be cured with your mom’s home remedies. All chores aside, women have a big place in the economy also and have to balance their work and private lives. The overall viewpoint for stay-home-moms have changed when the families needed more than one income to make it through the month. Now, society says it is okay for women to work but doesn't do anything to remove the obstacles from their ways. Regarding those difficulties, a business woman ought to be ambitious and challenger. For example, if you are a mom and willing to support your maternal responsibilities like breast-feeding, you have to accept to get a lower wage and a position at work. In other words, working women are intended to be semi-independent. They are allowed to be successful as long as they don't threaten the men in power. So, women who have managed to get out of men's shadow and earn their economic freedom disturb men, the rulers of the labor-force.

       Beauty is in the eye of the beholder but there are certain features society finds more appealing. Physical appearance molds the first impression and both facial and bodily symmetry are sought out when categorizing someone as beautiful. Generalized assumptions require women to have full lips, small nose, clear skin and long hair. Yet, having all of these is not enough, women with average faces are more favorable since men find them familiar. Moreover, there is a correlation between body measurements and beauty. For instance, women with large breasts and wide waist-to-hip ratio are more desirable as they are thought to be a sign of high hormones thus higher fertility. Another condition to gain society's approval is to take personal hygiene seriously. Stinking breath, oily hair and body odor are big turn offs. Also, women are wanted to be hairless, they suffer from waxing and lazering in order not to be labelled as filthy. Nothing's wrong with wanting your woman to be hygienic but men shouldn't see this as a feminine trait and skip brushing and grooming. Society desires naturel women: no make-up, no exaggerated outfits, just her God-given beauty. However, when they see a girl with over-grown eyebrows in a basic T-shirt, they attack her verbally. This is where they contradict with their expectations of naturalism which are also sought out women's clothing. Other than that, people seemed to be divided into those who cherish a secular and European style and those who dress according to the Islamic rules. Over the years, a more conservative fashion sense is adopted and society is conditioned to see women as close as possible: not revealing clothes, covered hair with no skin in sight except the face. Our culture sets modesty as a prerequisite for respect therefore people living by it insult and attack whoever dresses improperly.