Who tells young girls that their looks matter? That’s a trick question with a really easy answer: everyone. The idea that it’s what’s outside that counts is repeated absolutely everywhere – in TikTok videos that call 29-year-olds “old”, on neon skincare packaging that appeals to primary schoolers, and in ostensibly feminist films. Who tells young girls that their looks don’t matter? I’m not sure.
One year before I was born, Disney released Beauty and the Beast , which taught my generation that appearances aren’t everything. This aphorism was then repeated in popular culture so often – most notably in 1996’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame , 2001’s Shrek , and 2006’s Ugly Betty – that sure, it became trite. But I much prefer it to the message it’s been replaced with.
Namely: “It feels good to make yourself look good, and that is good.” Celebrities say that anti-ageing injectables are “empowering”, and can make you “the best, most authentic version” of yourself. Headlines sincerely claim that “Botox is feminist” while decrying “plastic surgery shaming”.
Cartoon princesses have become more diverse in their desires and dress sizes since I was a kid, sure, but Disney now launches tie-in skincare ranges for its latest films. The Inside Out 2 x Bubble Skincare “3-Step Barrier Boost Routine” promises to “keep your skin (and mind) balanced and ready for anything.” Much of this is a course-correction, an attempt to defy the sneers o.