THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE IMPACT OF APPEARANCE ON VARIOUS SPHERES OF LIFE – THE OPINIONS OF WOMEN AND MENOF DIFFERENT AGES Cover Image

THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE IMPACT OF APPEARANCE ON VARIOUS SPHERES OF LIFE – THE OPINIONS OF WOMEN AND MENOF DIFFERENT AGES
THE POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE IMPACT OF APPEARANCE ON VARIOUS SPHERES OF LIFE – THE OPINIONS OF WOMEN AND MENOF DIFFERENT AGES

Author(s): Julita Czernecka
Subject(s): Social Sciences, Gender Studies, Sociology
Published by: Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego
Keywords: attractiveness;appearance;importance of appearance in life;women;men;professional life;private life;intimate relationships

Summary/Abstract: The aim of the article is to present the results of a study addressing the issue of the positive and negative influence of appearance in the context of private and professional life. The publication is based on qualitative research on attitudes towards the appearance of women and men of different ages. The way of thinking about appearance depends on the conditions of the gendered age – i.e. the gender and age of the respondents. For women, appearance plays an important role in both the public and private spheres, while men have placed greater importance on it in the public sphere. While women still seem to attribute a greater role to physical appearance, more and more men are beginning to see this as a key aspect in interpersonal relationships. On the basis of the research we can observe the coexistence of two models of “femininity” and “masculinity”: patriarchal and androgynous. Sometimes in the same generation there are contradictory internal attitudes towards appearance. In the youngest generation, the process of unifying attitudes towards appearance is noticeable – attractive appearance is perceived by young men and women as one of the key human capital resources.

  • Issue Year: 2019
  • Issue No: 70
  • Page Range: 85-102
  • Page Count: 18
  • Language: English