How has the cultural oppression of "lookism" and the societal beliefs around body type affected lesbians? All human beings develop a body image (mental representation of their body) which shapes their body concept and self-concept. Especially for women, body concept and self-concept affect our self-esteem. Historically a woman's body concept and self-concept have been tied to the roles prescribed for her under the dominant, male, patriarchal culture and the enforcement of compulsory heterosexuality.
Women and men in our society undergo a different socialization process. From early childhood women are taught that their appearance is a crucial aspect of their lives whereas men are taught that their accomplishments are what counts. Not only is appearance important for a woman but the appearance must come as close as possible to whatever the current media image happens to be. Often that image can only be achieved by a minority of the population. The end result is that most women are unhappy with their bodies and suffer from negative body image.
Lesbians are a segment of the female population who have undergone the same socialization process as all women but have rejected traditional female values. We should, by resisting male domination set up by patriarchal society, be able to escape the negative body image and lack of self-acceptance that other women in our society suffer from.
The most predominate heterosexual challenge for all women in our society is the objectification of women. This is being highlighted this month with Playboy Magazine putting out their centerfold in 3-D. Fortunately, lesbians do not think of ourselves as objects to be defined by males.
In spite of these differences it seems that lesbians, even feminist lesbians, have bought into the myth. Lesbians also suffer from body image disturbance and discrimination against fat lesbians who do not fit the patriarchal standard of beauty. Lesbians, by rejecting the traditional female role and questioning the aspect of heterosexuality that is defined by the male image of a female body, have the opportunity to come to define our own bodies. This potentially allows us to create positive, self-affirming ways of reacting to, and claiming back, women's bodies.
The lesbian feminist community is beginning to attack the patriarchal oppression of women through body image in the same way it has attacked the oppression of women through rigid, traditional roles. It is a difficult struggle, for even though lesbians have rejected the assumption that a woman's purpose in life is to attract a man, they have been socialized to attempt to mold their bodies to fit man's image of woman. Hopefully, as the struggle continues, the statement "not in man's image" will be completely true for lesbians.
