Makeup: A means for self-love or the male gaze?
Silly little intrusive thoughts about makeup and sexist oppression.
By Mansee Mane with art by natalie williams
I love taking my time to get ready in the morning. From the sing-a-long hot shower and the perfectly runny eggs to the excitement of mixing and matching pieces of clothing I’ve collected throughout the years, my mornings are a ritual. But my favorite part of the morning is doing my makeup. I find immense joy in exercising my creativity every day. It’s fun trying new techniques and products. Plus, the satisfaction of coordinating my makeup with my outfits is unmatched.
However every once in a while, in between the stroke of a brush and the flick of a lash, I pause; I’m in a dilemma. Who am I doing my makeup for? Is the art I love really an act of self-care? Or am I just submitting to the gender roles laid out for women? Is this skill I have cultivated throughout my youth merely my internalization of the male gaze? If so, can I really call myself a feminist?
First, I want to clarify what kind of feminist I’m talking about. When it comes to feminism, I’m in the camp that defines it as a movement to end sexist oppression. This entails liberation from the patriarchy, dismantling the gender binary, and freeing everyone (yes, men too) from all types of types of oppression (psychological, economic, social, political etc). One manifestation of this sexist oppression is the concept of beauty standards.
For centuries and across many societies, women have been told that their worth rests upon their ability to bear children, their submissiveness, and—of course—-their beauty. Women’s status as human beings was diminished to “lesser-than” based on our gender. Although it is not as overt as it was in the past, women are still expected to uphold these standards set by men. Pretty privilege is a great example of how these standards translate into our society today.
So, like, what am I supposed to do with all this information? I love makeup, but can I really say I do it for myself when all my life society has been telling me it's expected of me as a woman? This is the struggle of feminist consciousness. We come to realize that so much of the world around us is made to cage us in, that oppression is woven into the fabric of our society. Even in something as trivial as makeup.
I’ve made peace with my dilemma because I experiment with my makeup. I play with gender in my looks, and I push back on beauty standards by finding beauty in my own creations. I genuinely find joy in it; I’m not begrudgingly putting on a face to look presentable. I realized I’m not less of a feminist for engaging in this art form because I view it as that—an art form.
This is just how I dealt with the push and pull between beauty standards and self-love. This journey looks different for everyone, and I am not saying that there’s one “right” relationship to have with makeup. Rather, I’d like to encourage everyone to think about how we interact with gender norms, and critically assess why we participate in them. Everyone is performing gender all the time, it’s just a matter of whether we’re aware of it or not. At the end of the day, how you present should make you feel comfortable, confident, and authentically you. So whether that means colorful graphic makeup, a soft-glam beat or a freshly clean face, do it with love and intent.