In this book, Ruth Kanin analyzes the industry that has and continues to regulate the standards and applications for the beautiful people, much to the detriment of women (and of men) who subject themselves to recurrent standardization.
Thoroughly researched, with an ample bibliography and notes, and beautifully written, Ruth’s lively, and at times, pungent language comes home to roost on a profit-industry that victimizes millions of unsuspecting people the world over.
Each chapter is followed by practical exercises whose aim is to generate further thinking and awareness on the part of the reader. These exercises serve as catharsis for the readers who suddenly realize what “beauty bondage” is doing, and to free themselves from artificial layers imposed by those who dictate standards of beauty.
After reading this book, the reader is left with this overarching lingering question, on how we all applied the concept of beauty in our lives: “Because of my appearance, in the realm of love or related commercial activities, did I interact more so with my counterparts because they were good-looking, or, less so because they were not as good-looking?
