Welcome to Vain Feminist!

Thought-provoking commentary about beauty and aging in an appearance-obsessed culture.

Vain Feminist is a newsletter for those critical of beauty ideals but also subject to them, as we all are! I ask what it means to grow older “naturally” and I explore the intersection of body, self, and image in our contemporary culture.

WHY IS IT CALLED VAIN FEMINIST?

Vain Feminist is a reference to my own orientation to beauty culture. While I aspire to love my body all the time for the way it has served me, and while I’m well aware of the power dynamics that lead to an over-focus on women’s looks, I find myself critically examining myself in the mirror more often than I’d like.

I’d like to stand the word “vain” on its head. Women are often described as superficial when they spend time and money on their appearance. But monitoring one’s appearance is a natural response when women’s worth has been so frequently tied to their looks, and when those in the public eye face such fierce judgment. To combat these tendencies, we need to first look carefully (and with humor!) at why we react the way we do to the images we see, and we need to create community around alternative beauty ideals.

In this biweekly newsletter I’ll ask such questions as, could Botox become the new braces, where it is a norm for anyone who can afford it? (And relatedly, why are dentist offices offering Botox? Aren’t they supposed to be focused on teeth?) Why is it hard for us to accept that our bodies and appearances are in constant flux? When did self-care become a duty that includes ever-expanding daily (and nightly) rituals?

I look forward to exploring these issues and more with you, and I always welcome your thoughts.

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