Why do women/girls care so much about what men and/or society think about their bodies?

Question

Honestly, who cares what other people think?
As long as you're happy and healthy to hell with other people's narrow-minded opinions...

Answer 1

I agree with you, I don't give a damn what other people think of me, but I can understand why woman feel this way, it took me a while to get out of the stereotype of beauty. Its just Hollywood, american's have just turned to having celebrities as their idols, instead of looking at the true heros, like your favorite highschool teacher. The more and more I read in this yahoo answers the more and more Im disappointed about how narrow-minded these people really are, its like everyone just follows what the media tells us instead of thinking for ourselves.

Answer 2

Yes, where do women and girls get this idea that they have to look a certain way-it can't be because it's plastered on billboards, magazines, television, books, newspaper articles and ads, the internet, obsessed about by plastic surgeons, diet centers, and gyms. It affects men and boys as well, if you look at the men's health section in Yahoo answers, you'd see a lot of males are obsessed with their bodies, especially about their abs, biceps, and you-know-what.

I agree, we shouldn't care what others think, especially about our bodies, but many people tell you whether you like it or not if they like or dislike how you look: in school and college, on the street, at work, by co-workers, families and strangers alike.

It's taken me a lifetime to feel good about how I look, even though I look pretty good, and always have, between the obsession with weight of my peers and my family and especially because of our superficial society.

Answer 3

I agree completely, but have a hard time with it myself sometimes. The media presents a certain image of beauty, and most of us fall for that crap, knowing that we will never look like they do. A girl likes to feel that she is attractive, and it has an especially big impact on young girls and single women. Boys and men commonly have more initial interest in a girl that has pleasing features and the average girls quite often get overlooked. My 6 year old daughter has told me she wants to dye her hair blond because blond hair is prettier. She is a beautiful girl in many ways, including her silky hair and I always tell her that. I also have a niece who's father is always commenting on the food she and her mother eat because he does not want them to be fat - they are so skinny they look sick! It is more than self image, it is also the world we live in.

Answer 4

It's really a very simple answer. We're all (women and men), instinctually predisposed to worry about what the opposite sex (or same sex, if that's what you're into) think of our appearance. In our primitive minds, if we appear attractive to potential mates, we have a better chance of winning that mate, and thus preserving our species. If we want to pass on our genes, we need to beat out all the competition, making sure that we are the one that is chosen for mating.
Now, I feel you're completely right as far as rising above what other people think. We, as humans, can and do go against our instincts, all the time. There's nothing wrong with it at all, but it's certainly difficult to do. In the end, I feel that it's ok to want to impress your potential mate, but that it's unhealthy to become overly obsessed about your appearance.

Answer 5

Historically, women have had little means to support themselves, relying on men for their support (and therefore sacrificing over control to them).

Because of it beauty in the eyes of men increased the woman's options and influence because it increased ver value...

This has sort of become ingrained into our culture.

For a good analogy, read up on the "defenses" for female genital mutilation, especially those written by women...

Answer 6

I know exactly what you mean. I like the way I am which is not exactly svelte and I don't want to change. But a lot of people tell me I have to lose weight if I want to be happy and find a guy. Is this true? I hate to think so.

Answer 7

Amen. That's the whole problem with Barbie. If she were real, she'd be crawling on the ground trying to support her abnormal body porportions. People see madeup images on tv and think, "Wow, they've got it made. I wanna be like that!" Then when they can't, they wonder why. What women don't realize is, those women aren't real. When you try to be like them, you kill yourself. Or you go bankrupt paying for plastic surgery, and you wind up as a women the world considers beautiful, begging for cash on the highway.

Answer 8

I was never one who cared about what other people thought of me, but that's me. Some people do care; why I don't know but they do. In my opinion, I just feel that some women(people) aren't comfortable within themselves so they need others to validate who they are; therefore they are not loving themselves, but when they do start loving themselves they won't care about what anyone has to say and hopefully not even what they think.

Answer 9

I don't care what other people think I need to look like. I do however am not comfortable with people staring at me for wearing hijab and making snide commets about my behind my back for being a Muslim woman.

Answer 10

My answer to you, and to angelz is that not all of us do. Some are deeper than that. I'm not saying I don't think about sex, but I don't ALWAYS think about it, nor do I think about it as a first priority. If it happens, fine. If not, fine too.