Self-Care from a Radical Feminist PerspectiveAn important part of radical feminism is recognizing the beauty rituals like makeup, hair dye, hair removal, and anti-aging routines for what they are - damaging to women's self esteem by telling us we aren't good enough in our natural-born skin, and an enormous waste of resources and time.When attempting to deprogram yourself from patriarchal beauty norms, the concept of self-care becomes confusing. What constitutes hygiene vs. beauty rituals? It is possible to overcorrect at your own detriment - you don't want to abandon oppressive grooming rituals and replace them with habits that may actually damage your health. A good example is rejecting the rigid beauty standards around one's body only to overcorrect and become under- or over-weight at an unhealthy level. Radical feminism aims to give women what patriarchy denies them - a quality, complete life. This includes proper health and wellness, inside and out. The two realms feed into each other, your brain being a physical organ after all. Physical WellnessPart of female conditioning is learning to be willing to sacrifice your health for beauty. "Beauty is pain" is a famous axiom, but pain is how your body communicates to you that it is being damaged, and listening to your body is an important step in maintaining good health.Skin Skin care for the sake of staying eternally youthful looking is a standard part of the beauty industry - it keeps women spending money and gives us yet another impossible-to-attain beauty standard. Expensive lotions and potions geared toward this goal should be abandandoned. Your skin is, however, an organ - neglecting it doesn't serve your health. Overly dry/neglected skin can lead to the development of things like lesions and dermatitis. Simply moisturizing as needed is sufficient (there are inexpensive brands with simple ingredients that work great). Fitness Lack of exercise and general fitness can be detrimental to your health. Avoid any focus on body shape or weight. Focus purely on increasing strength, flexibility, endurance, and dexterity. Run, walk, dance, do yoga or martial arts, lift weights, do outdoor activities. Don't do anything that makes you miserable. Health should never be synonymous with suffering. Nutrition Nutrition affects everything from physical health to mental wellness. Avoid any focus on the appearance of your body or your weight. Focus on foods that give you the nutrition you need. Eat foods that aren't healthy but make you happy in moderation. Stop starving yourself if that was ever a habit for you, but know that over-eating as a form of personal protest also brings its health problems. Food should be a fuel and a source of pleasure. Nothing more, nothing less. Mental & Emotional WellnessComing soon - under construction |
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