Conception of womans beauty by Sangster Article Review - Book Report/Review Example

inserts his/her full Article Review The article by Sangster highlights how the emphasis on women’sphysical appearance and sexuality was promoted during the post-war labor movement where woman’s individuality was expressed not just through her inclusion in the working class but also the portrayal of her beauty and feminity. According to Sangster, this was in stark contrast to the theme of equal rights, harmony and collectivity that was emphasized during the same period. The beauty pageants held during the period, such as the crowning of “Miss Canada” represented an even more racialized image of woman by equating beauty with white skin and “European Womanhood” (Sangster, 99). Furthermore, at the same time as provocative images of women were intended to represent their inclusion in the service industry, the “Playboy” icons of women seemed to gain momentum by promoting women as pleasurable objects (Sangster, 100). Unions and the advertising sector further started to use women’s sexuality for selling their products and capturing attention. Men, on the other hand, did not have the liberty of competing on the basis of beauty and had to compete on the basis of intelligence (Sangster, 105). The article lacks an abstract that would summarize the thesis, structure and main points of the article which makes it difficult to decipher what’s coming next. On the flipside, however, it keeps the reader’s interest sustained to see which direction the author is going to take. The article has been divided into fairly small sections with different subheadings which aids reading as opposed to large chunks of cluttered information. Furthermore, as one reads along the article, the focus of the article tends to become narrower suggesting that a funnel approach has been used. The article begins with a rather general review of literature on the beauty culture and then proceeds with the beauty contests held by labor groups in Canada in the post war era. Particular emphasis is then given to one of the beauty events- Le Bal des Midinettes, followed by a conclusion. Considering the fact that this research could certainly not have achieved its purpose through quantitative analysis, a typical scientific research format is not seen. It is not surprising, therefore, that the entire research is qualitative in nature. The extensive use of secondary sources also reduces the scope for any bias or research errors that could have been present had primary sources been used. There is evidence of extensive referencing which is represented through the use of footnotes. However, the references are mostly more than 10 years old with majority pertaining to the 1960’s and 1970’s making it difficult to access these. More than 50 references have been used (not counting repetitions) which implies a strong level of accuracy. It also shows that Sangster’s article is far from merely being a personal opinion as most of the points are backed by strong evidence. Although the sentences were structured simply, majority of the article had an advanced tone which could make it difficult for the average reader to comprehend the message upon a single reading. Sangster uses both primary and secondary sources for data collection and to convey her thesis. One of the main primary sources used is the comments by Andree Levesque (Sangster, 83). Other than that, the author cites various examples to debate the thesis set forth. Although at the onset the author seems to be inclined towards questioning “why” women’s sexual representations proliferated labor press during the post World War II period, this thesis does not seem to be in sync with the overall conclusion of the paper which states that trade union papers were not just about woman’s sexualized images but devoted equal attention to women’s protests and their walking picket lines. Since the author considers both sides of the beauty culture argument in the labor press, it can safely be said that the article is largely analytical in nature. It is clearly not a mere narrative as we see extensive use of contradictions to the original opinion. Although, the author argues that beauty contests reinforced a marginalized and feminine image of the woman labor class, she also suggests that labor events did not always follow the same pattern. One of the examples that the author uses to debate this point is that of Le Bal des Midinettes which was an annual beauty pageant that stressed a classless society and women were judged on the basis of their personality not just idealized body images. With this and other examples, therefore, Sangster has succeeded in presenting both sides of the argument by contradicting her initial position that labor events primarily promoted woman’s sexuality and beauty. Most importantly, the use of photographs from these beauty events adds fervor to the argument as readers are able to visualize exactly how women were dressed up during these events. Although the conclusion suggests reference to theories such as racism, patriarchy and feminism, no particular theory pertaining to feminism seems to be applied to the discussion. The post World War II representation of women as beauty objects in the labor press began during the 1960’s and 1970’s which coincided with the birth of feminist thought. The author further elaborates how trade unions capitalized on this trend by using woman’s sexual power to promote fashion to the working class (Sangster, 91). Here we see a different perspective being offered by the author. The author also devotes significant space to discussing the theories associated with the racist conception of woman’s beauty (in terms of white skin). This is seen particularly in the section under the heading “The Dilemma of Beauty Culture” (Sangster, 86) whereby extensive citations and quotations have been used by Sangster to draw on the literature from other authors. This section lays the foundation for the theme of this article and shows how values have changed to the extent that women opt for cosmetic surgeries to ease their “sufferings” and appear normal (Sangster, 88). She points at structural theories that deal with racism, class and gender being overshadowed by postmodern feminist ideologies of “individualism and choice” (Sangster, 88). The differing schools of thought amongst feminists have been highlighted with one school that shows how beauty contests and the association of white skin with beauty has reinforced racist thought whereas the other school claims that beauty contests and surgical enlargements are a means of bolstering woman’s self-confidence and freedom of choice (Sangster, 88-89). To conclude, the article effectively portrays a debate regarding the sexual representation of women in Canadian Labor Movements in the post war era. The author succeeds in citing relevant theory and supporting her arguments with appropriate examples. Furthermore, the use of illustrations enhances the reader’s understanding of the content. Extensive referencing as well as the funnel approach further adds weight to the accuracy and comprehension of the arguments presented. Although the thesis does not appear explicit at the onset, one can expect to develop a perspective about the subject towards the end. Adding an abstract could have given more clear direction to the paper. Nevertheless, considering the quality of sources used and the analysis presented, Sangster succeeds to a great extent in conveying the message to the reader. Work Cited Sangster, Joan. "“ Queen of the Picket Line”: Beauty Contests in the Post – World War II Canadian Labor Movement, 1945 –1970." Labor: Studies in Working-Class History of the Americas (2008): 83-106. Print. Read More