Where is the line drawn between celebrating the beauty of women and exploiting the beauty of women?

Question

Some of what I have seen as positive examples of beauty, others have seen it as exploitive, and vice versa. Where has society in general drawn the line regarding admiring a woman for her physical beauty? Is it at all based on how the subject engages those around her, or is the judgement made solely on the responses received? How does this differ for men as subjects of beauty?

My question is where there is no money involved. For example, if I publicly display a tasteful photograph of a woman that captures nothing but her physical beauty (we cannot know her thoughts, emotions, intellect) some will see this as exploitive while others see it as a celebration of a woman's body. Where is the line actually drawn... Thanks.

Answer 1

Hi - good question!

I think that the line is drawn wherever each individual woman draws it.

As women, we have varying viewpoints on beauty (external - internal). We also differ in personal qualities such as egocentrism, narcissism, and self-worth.

Some of us will successfully exist in a world where we are respected, valued and admired for our inner beauty and perhaps it will be helped along by an appreciation of the care we take for our outer appearance. Some will not receive the same simply because they are trying to fill a different well of need.

If location A is what you start with in life and B is how you want to be treated, we all want to get from A to B, but some don't know how to do it. They just want to be at location 'B' - but they won't put in the work. In other words, they want their inner beauty and intelligence to be appreciated, but they over-emphasize their outer beauty, making that the pre-dominant focus of their self-portrayal.

As much as we yearn to see these issues in black and white - you can't point at ONE line and say - 'there it is, that is how society celebrates / exploits the beauty of women.' The lines are drawn at several points. There are individual lines, and then there are lines drawn within the media, and then there are extremes within our society of where lines are drawn. The Amish people, for example, may value the inner beauty of their women over their physical attributes, yet as a group they are part of society. Playboy Chief, Hugh Hefner, is at the opposite end of the scale, putting a much higher value (commercially and personally) on the external qualities of women.

If you were to ask which line is most important to a woman - it is the first one: the line that you draw for yourself. If you put high importance on lasting inner beauty, strength, intelligence, social aptitude, kindness, etc..., then that is where you set the standard for how you wish to be responded to. It's not in demanding that society appreciate those qualities, it's not in stamping our feet and shouting about it. It's not achieved through campaigning against the press and their 'exploitation' of the beauty of women.

If women, wish our beauty to be celebrated, it is only through individual presentation that we will achieve that end. And if, on the other hand, we wish our beauty to be exploited, we will allow it to be and we will not nurture the inner qualities with any great effort.

It's a much more difficult question to answer than you might realize. But that's life eh?

Sorry I'm not sure what the question was regarding men as subjects of beauty.

All the best!

Answer 2

I think it depends on the woman. No one is forced to be a stripper for example. They get paid really good money and the men are the idiots that drop their paychecks into some pretty girl's g-string. Hell, if I had the body I'd do it. And that includes magazines, but probably not porn.

Ok, the girls gone wild women are exploited, but also stupid. Doing all that crap for next to nothing. If you are going to sell sex, sell it for something real and keep your dignity.

Answer 3

To exploit is to use someone in order to make a profit or to gain something for ones own benefit.

In advertising, men are exploited, but not nearly as much. Women's interests (at a glance) are aroused by more complex means.

Answer 4

properly, in accordance to me, it is all stereotypes... precisely a similar way the French are meant to be coward, lazy, grimy, what so ever. i think of there's a merchandising and marketing area of the "splendor" you're pertaining to, as many vogue manufacturers and vogue magazines are French or French owned. possibly there is slightly fact in the certainty that statistically there are lots of greater obese people in different international locations, yet it is changing!!!!!

Answer 5

Looking is celebrating.
Selling the pics or using for gain (money) is exploiting.

Answer 6

I think they draw the line about six inches below her navel.

Answer 7

The difference is probably nudity.

Answer 8

Vogue vs. Hustler.