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the assumption about women is that we should all be looking after our appearance and paying silly sums of money to do so
However, not all women look obsessively after their appearance nor do all of them pay silly sums of money (always relative to their income) to do so. But as long as, say, women by a 2:1 ratio would pay silly sums of money to enhance their appearance, there is a lot of money to be made in catering to that. The "marketplace" has a way of magnifying tendencies in this way.

There are lots of men who spend silly amount of money enhancing their appearances depending on their subculture. Some people like grooming themselves, some other buy expensive watches, expensive clothes, expensive electronic gadgets...

En un viejo país ineficiente, algo así como España entre dos guerras civiles, poseer una casa y poca hacienda y memoria ninguna. -- Gil de Biedma

by Migeru (migeru at eurotrib dot com) on Mon Nov 23rd, 2009 at 09:19:23 AM EST
[ Parent ]
I don't disagree with that - but my point largely is that people have to conform to the 'norms' in order to get on in life.  People who wish to not conform find that there are many constraints on them that prevent them playing the role they wish to, be it in the workplace, in the family, in public life.  Specifically I am pulling out constraints that are based on gender.

Migeru:

The "marketplace" has a way of magnifying tendencies in this way.

Where do these tendencies come from? Are they 'natural' tendencies or are people feeling the pressure to conform to societal norms that have been constructed over long periods of time?  Why were norms constructed so, what are the roots?  By unpacking it all, which is what I am trying to do, can we go back far enough to see that there is perhaps a link to inequality?  Gender roles and stereotypes manifest themselves in different and often subtle ways.  

I am purely trying to explore this.  I don't believe that anything is set in stone.

Ad astra per aspera

by In Wales (inwales aaat eurotrib.com) on Mon Nov 23rd, 2009 at 09:28:10 AM EST
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