Dynamics of Oppression

Ideology is a fundamental concept in sociology. Sociologists study it because it plays such a powerful role in shaping how society is organized and how it functions.

• Society paints being pretty as a gift and that these people who are deemed to be prettier are perceived as smarter, healthier, and more competent.

• Everyone is born pretty but it is the individual's perception of beauty that forms a person’s ideal.

Intersectionality is the interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class, and gender.

• One can be in multiple groups when being discriminated against or at a disadvantage. Women are being oppressed because of the expectations put on them by social media and society.

• Beauty pressures affect many groups such as women and men of all ages, people of color, middle and high-class people, etc.

Solidarity and the Common Good

• The Church teaches that rights come with responsibilities as human beings. We are to carry out our potential and good deeds not at the expense of others but in relation to others.

• This is interconnected solidarity meaning unity especially among individuals with a common interest and mutual support within a group. We are violating this by bringing each other down rather than standing side by side with one other.

• The Dove Global Girls Beauty And Confidence Report, conducted by Edelman Intelligence, interviewed 5,165 girls aged between 10 and 17 across 14 countries. Each girl was asked a series of questions about the way they view themselves, beauty ideals, social media, and more. Out of those girls, 80% of them considered themselves to have low body esteem.

People need to be aware of how much words can impact someone. Words cannot be taken away once they are spoken. There are many factors that play a role in someone’s decision when choosing to take their own life. Words and opinions can be an influence. As a community, we should be spreading positivity, not negativity.

The Dignity of the Person and Human Rights

• Social media gives the impression that a person’s looks give them an upper hand in societal and work ethics. Beauty can give a person leverage which creates unfairness, prejudice, and degradation for others who do not meet the specific social standard.

• Some jobs which take into account a woman's looks are flight attendant, secretary, musician, and other occupations.

• The Youth Select Committee’s survey reports that 47% of girls aged 11 to 21 say the way they look “holds them back”, while 69% of girls age seven to 11 feel like they are not good enough.

The dignity of the person and human rights means that everyone was made in the image and likeness of God. God created everyone with the same freedom, love, opportunities, and rights. We are all born with the same worth and value.

Family Life

• Everyone has room to learn. Children should be educated on mental and physical health, where and when to get help, and many other factors that can help them to deal with certain situations.

• A parent should not just watch or be oblivious to their children’s need for help. It might be too late once they realize what was needs to be done.

The family is the basic social unity of any society. Parents are the primary educators of their children. Children need to be guided in what is right and what is wrong. It is through that we discover our identities, values, and dignity.

Mental health disorders and insecurities connect to the overwhelming pressures of beauty. Many young underage children are getting exposed to negative exposure because of social media.

• These things include ads for cosmetics, harmful comments, beauty expectations that lead to self-esteem issues, etc.

• These exposures could be one of the factors that contribute to teen’s depression, anxiety, and self-esteem issues, and insecurities. Specifically, teen girls who are in the process of puberty and finding their identity, get the most pressure because of the environment and people around them.

“We aren’t born with these insecurities, we are told to be insecure about certain things. We are conditioned to feel ashamed or embarrassed about certain parts of ourselves.” - Lili Reinhart

• Someone can leave a comment on a person’s social media page anytime. These words can impact the person’s mind, especially of a young teenage girl.

• Some people might argue that it is freedom of speech and they can state their opinion however they want. The protection of the law allows them to speak their opinion without getting in trouble, but when does a statement go too far.

• Young girl’s lives get taken away because of the influential words and images they see on social media

• In the 2019 Youth Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, the results show that in the past year 18.8% of high school students seriously considered attempting suicide and 8.9% attempted suicide.

The internet allows people to say anything without much consequence for themselves, but could end up causing serious consequences to others.

Rights come with responsibility and accountability.

This connotation refers to the ones who are deemed beautiful get better advantages or opportunities than others. Pretty privilege can give a person more popularity, more positive work reviews, and career advancements.

• Someone being pretty or having privilege is certainly not a bad thing. It becomes evil and tainted when someone chooses to abuse it.

• There is the conception that people who are considered pretty are more likely to be hired, have higher salaries, are less likely to be found guilty, and can be sentenced less harshly.

• Oprah Winfrey once said during an interview for Super Soul Sunday in 2015, “I mean, being pretty helps…would you not say?”

Jeremy Meeks was released from prison on March 9, 2016. After he had got out of prison, he was scouted by a modeling agency and now is a model. He was the only one out of the four men who went to prison who was able to live a successful life.