Lipstick Feminism: Is Makeup Anti-Feminist, or Pro-Feminist?

Dec 5, 2010

Erin Z.

Hey Dolls! I'm rather new to the site, but so many of you are super smart, well spoken, and very opinionated, so I thought this may be an interesting topic of discourse.

I consider myself a feminist to the bone! I teach a class called French Feminism and Body Politics, so I get a LOT of female students. The other day the class got into a rather heated discussion on makeup being anti-feminist and oppressive. Obviously by my presence on this site, I'd say it's really easy to see where I stand on that topic. I love makeup! And I use it as an important power tool in what I like to think of as my gender "performativity". But that is just my take on it. What do you all think?

Is makeup oppressive to women? Do you feel it's possible to be into makeup, hair, fashion, and feminism? Just curious about your thoughts! 

Dec 5, 2010

Erin Z.

Great point. I'm inclined to agree. I feel like makeup, just like fashion...can be a source of power, not oppression for those who use it as such (men and women included). My students were very caught up in the idea of "marks". That makeup can be a "mark" to be identified as "not male" and therefore "other". Society has always treated "otherness" (black, female, queer, fat...etc) as less than or vice, while white heterosexual males are treated as above, and therefore virtue.

But like you said, a lot of women don't wear makeup because they feel a sense of pressure to conform to standards of beauty, many (myself included) wear it in direct opposition of beauty standards. I wear loud, crazy colors, I go overtop, and in doing so, call attention to my "otherness" my "femaleness" as a sense of power in that gender performance. 

Dec 5, 2010

Erin Z.

Absolutely! Makeup is an important part of queer politics just like it SHOULD be an important part of feminist theory. Many old school feminists still see it as oppressive, but those who have branched out more into gender studies can see how makeup, heels, corsets, and other "control" marks are being re-consumed as power marks.

You would LOVE this article by Carole-Anne Tyler called Boys Will be Girls: Drag and Transvestic Fetishism. Let me know if you want a PDF copy and I'll email it to you sugar. ;)

Dec 5, 2010

Brenda M.

To me makeup is more of an art, which means I dont believe makeup is oppressive to women at all. We live in a society where now a days both female and male wear makeup, its an art where you play with colors and your face is the canvas. The face is what people see first and its where we can express our confidence and love for art. Same as tattoos, its an art that lives on you for the rest of your life. So I agree makeup is not anti feminist! I hope I made sense. Much love!

Dec 5, 2010

Erin Z.

Thank you guys for sharing your thoughts. Tina, you make some valid points. Many old school feminist from the early 1970s went in the opposite direction, they felt that looking less like the idealized woman (slender, shaved, well groomed, etc) was a way to combat inequalities and own their "feminism" but times they are a-changin!

Makeup tends to full under the concept of a the ideology of conforming to societies demands on us as women. We should be skinny, white, blond, beautiful, made up house-wives and mothers.

But makeup doesn't have to be (and in many causes is not) that! I choose to wear makeup as a way to express myself creatively. I know myself worth is no more tied to my makeup than it is my body, hair, or pants size.

Women who choose to wear or not wear makeup are making a decision about how they wish to be perceived. A feminist who doesn't shave, is no more a feminist than a woman who does. Its just two sides of the same coin.

Dec 5, 2010

Erin Z.

Hell yeah Brenda, I completely agree! I'm gonna print this dialogue out to bring to my class next week. Im curious how my students will respond to another opinion on feminism and beauty.

Dec 5, 2010

Brenda M.

Hope all goes well in your class! I love your looks on your profile your so talented! Theres always two sides to everything but ultimately makeup tattoos piercings are all a wordless expression of art :)

Dec 15, 2010

Erin Z.

The students in class today had a lot to say about this dialogue. A few were very interested in the perfromative aspects of makeup, relating it to theater and drag, while others still held to the belief it is oppressive.

Overall the discussion was lively and I feel like my students got a lot of out it! Thanks again for all your thoughts!

Dec 15, 2010

Ashley C.

how awesome, i agree i wish more topic like this would surface on beautylish, i get so annoyed with some of the crap people post! im not going to respond to stupid "im really bored so look at me crap"

Im so glad your discussion went well today! wish i saw this sooner. i was the girl how played soccer & softball zero makeup & bright hot pink lipgloss on in every game. i didnt wear it because i felt as a woman i should but because it made me happy.

As a woman and an advicator for all woman i do not agree that wearing makeup is oppressive, like others stated i do find it a form of art. i worked as a firefighter and even those men wore chapstick, i wear it because it makes me happy, help form who i am and in all cases my career choice. I dont think i could live without a tube of red lipstick in my purse, does that make me a slave to the trade, yes but so be it! i am who i am and i wear my makeup proudly!

Dec 15, 2010

Ashley C.

Right! i can go without it dont get me wrong but lipgloss seriously makes me so happy!

Another reason i disagree is makeup can fit any sized man or woman, cover any color of skin, it isnt just for one type of gender. I may be unhappy with the mascara i picked up last week but there are hundreds of others i can choose from so im never left completley unsatisfied!
Pro all the way!

Dec 15, 2010

Tree S.

BTW men are also wearing make-up. There are product lines for men and they sell. I read a review recently.

Dec 15, 2010

Erin Z.

great point by all. Some argue that anything that creates more of a difference or "otherness" is oppressive, but I tend to feel the opposite. I like that makeup is a way not to "conform" to the oppression of being a woman, but a way to break out of them. My makeup helps to differentiate me as not only a woman, but an aggressive woman, a fat woman, a proud woman, a sexy woman. I can own it in a way that does not connote "submission" but rather power. I feel many woman who wear their makeup in bright, ostentatious was are claiming the same ownership.

I'd be different if there was a uniform makeup "face" we all had to wear. If it was implied as ok only to have red lips and nails, because they make mention of the "vagina" and it's only ok to have heavy pink cheeks and blue shadows...if this was a uniform face we were all championing here...I could see the argument that is oppressive in it's sameness.

But makeup is so much more than that. We can do SO much more than that with it. We can add a sense of drama, anger, power, passion, androgyny, whatever! This is a real power source for women to fight hegemonic oppression.

Dec 22, 2010

Andrea F.

I think the attitude of not being able to leave the house without makeup on is anti-feminist. And that "makeup is beauty" is anti-feminist as well. What I like about makeup is that it is creative! I think of it as a form of art, rather than something to hide my 'flaws' and to make me look like a girl on a magazine. I use to to build off my features and to create something cool looking to me.. it's expression! And feminism is all about female expression. Conforming to beauty ideals created by men and by society isn't feminist, obviously. And that is definitely what some women do with makeup! But a lot of use just like the satisfaction of expressing ourselves and creating. So I'd say it's a bit 2 sided. And again.. sorry if my rambles aren't really to the point but this is just some stuff I think. :)

Jan 29, 2013

Emily C.

Pro! It's all about making yourself happy and confident, and you don't have to wear it!

Feb 2, 2013

Desi S.

I totally see where you guys are on this issue. I definitely agree with some of the comments. thinking back historically, makeup honestly originated in thev theatre and the theatre is an artistic platform to perform art and make has been used not to conceal the actors but to bring out different characters out of them. Just like that, makeup is supposed to fun and it is, you bring out a tool of self expression its a way to bring out a character or a characteristic in you; it enhance s your own beauty and allows you to have fun with yourself through this form of art and explore fashion and style. Where I believe makeup has been been pointed as negative and antifeminist is because of the price people put on beauty today. its all because of the industry and them attempting to sell products, but selling them in a imoral manner. now dont get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with wanting to sell a product and i absolutely cannot complain about the fact that there are so many awesome products out there today that answer to our own individual needs but there definitely can be some improvement in how a beauty product is promoted in the media. Girls today have honestly not been guided to understand that makeup is a tool to enhance your beauty for fun as opposed to depending on it because its the supposedly what makes you beatiful. They forget to understand the difference that a person is beautiful as they are and thats what natural beauty is where as makeup when used should be refered to as artistic beauty. 

Feb 2, 2013

Desi S.

I totally see where you guys are on this issue. I definitely agree with some of the comments. thinking back historically, makeup honestly originated in thev theatre and the theatre is an artistic platform to perform art and make has been used not to conceal the actors but to bring out different characters out of them. Just like that, makeup is supposed to fun and it is, you bring out a tool of self expression its a way to bring out a character or a characteristic in you; it enhance s your own beauty and allows you to have fun with yourself through this form of art and explore fashion and style. Where I believe makeup has been been pointed as negative and antifeminist is because of the price people put on beauty today. its all because of the industry and them attempting to sell products, but selling them in a imoral manner. now dont get me wrong, there is nothing wrong with wanting to sell a product and i absolutely cannot complain about the fact that there are so many awesome products out there today that answer to our own individual needs but there definitely can be some improvement in how a beauty product is promoted in the media. Girls today have honestly not been guided to understand that makeup is a tool to enhance your beauty for fun as opposed to depending on it because its the supposedly what makes you beatiful. They forget to understand the difference that a person is beautiful as they are and thats what natural beauty is where as makeup when used should be refered to as artistic beauty. 

Feb 2, 2013

Desi S.

also, girls need to understand that choosing to wear makeup is an option. one doesnt have to wear it if they choose not to. its all about what makes you comfortable and what makes you happy. so yes, makeup is art. art is self expression. makeup is a tool of self expression.

Feb 3, 2013

Jillian V.

Well to me makeup lets me express myself like dance and eating jk but me and my friends just love to express so this is so great for me ur amazing! :3

Feb 9, 2013

Giuliana L.

No it's really not either. Makeup is just a way to express yourself. It's only oppressive when lets say your boyfriend tells you that you need to wear makeup or if you r forced to wear it.

Feb 9, 2013

Chantal D.

Hi the reason I wear make up is because it makes me feel pretty. I don't think men are the ones forcing women's wear make up, I think it is the big corporations which sell the makeup and control the media. They try to make men the enemy when really it's corporations. I don't use makeup as a power tool just think it makes
Me pretty. I don't think it's oppressive

Feb 9, 2013

Chantal D.

It's not antifeminist want to look beautiful for a man. It's biological it's a deep need in our psyche. Just like men have a deep need to provide. What I think is oppressive is porn and sex trade. Do I think it's oppressive just towards woman no I think it's oppressive to men and women and it's dysfunction of our society.

Feb 10, 2013

Ali W.

I don't think makeup is anti-feminist, I think some beauty trends are ridiculous and might as well be but in this day and age makeup, for many women (not all mind you) is about expressing yourself and creating the image that you want to portray. I feel like my makeup empowers me, it improves my mood and the way I hold myself and makes me feel like I can take on the world and look fantastic while I do it. Now, if a woman chooses to wear makeup for the sole purpose of being like someone else, that and no other reason, then it's a problem but I don't think its necessarily anti-feminist.

Feb 15, 2013

Loren B.

I think it can be a source of power, even an unfair advantage. Men can do very little about thier looks other than choose to shave or not, women can completely transform themselves and although men often appreciate the effect, that appreciation can make them more pliable. Of course like anything it can be made to be exploitative. We are socially adjusted to the aging unaltered male face, while we become addicted to the false fountain of youth that makeup provides. I think feminism is about empowering women to have options and protecting our rights. On a personal note, most fathers would LOVE to stay home with thier kids all day. The modern dad is nurturing, strong, and playful. But the fact is my husband can earn more than me and I enjoy the bond of nursing my dd. feminism doesn't force me into the workplace but it reserved my right to work and strives for equal pay for equal work should I choose now or later by whim or necessity to go to work. It doesn't seek to end marriage but to ensure no woman is a prisoner of marriage for lack of options to support herself or her children. It seeks to create the same opportunities for women so that we are not held back for being women and that we are partners in a marriage rather than property of a husband. Makeup can be a tool in that if we choose to see it that way or it can control us if we don't. We need to first accept that we are beautiful and valuable regardless of what we put on our faces and bodies. Fashion however is a total exploitation. ;)

Jun 27, 2013

Jessica L.

Makeup is not antifeminist. I
to ne its an art that evryone can master, including men.

Jun 30, 2013

Claire L.

Honestly I just love makeup and I feel like more of a women when I'm wearing it. And I agree, it's an advantage to women to be able to enhance your looks with makeup! And from what I understand I always thought men didn't think that makeup was that great. You always hear men saying how they wish women wouldn't wear makeup because they don't know what they really look like. Granted that's not what makeup is for, it's to enhance natural beauty, but still.