
We're all for a good rip-roaring debate, but this particular one is about as current as, well, frosted lilac lipstick. As third-wave feminists already argued decades ago, wearing makeup doesn't necessarily mean a woman feels inadequate without it — just as going bare-faced doesn't automatically lead to radical self-acceptance.
Don't get us wrong; when women feel pressured to wear makeup, that's definitely a bad thing. But, it's also stifling to imply that if a woman chooses to wear concealer or mascara, she must have lousy self-esteem. In reality, each person is different. For every woman who resents grooming her eyebrows before heading to a board meeting, there's another who delights in lining her eyes before a date, and another who quickly covers her breakout before rushing out the door. The reasons for wearing (or eschewing) makeup are as endless as the women behind them. So how can there be one right answer for all of womankind? For such a colorful topic, the Times debate seems oddly framed in black-and-white thinking. Readers, your thoughts?
(The New York Times)