Response to Foucalt, Femininity, and the Modernization in Patriarchal Power
Adriana Molleda
Philosophy 327/ Prof. Bettcher
Bartky’s is arguing that heterosexual women have embedded in their brains the scrutiny of
changing their appearance in numerous ways in order to abstain from being criticized even
if unwanted from others, and are obligated to meet gender roles as women to be feminine
because it is not only imposed by society but my ourselves too. Women are not aware of
the conformity we have been accustomed to and are subjected to in our daily lives to men’s
criticism and possibly do not have a stand because we do not recognize that not only do we
change ourselves for others but how institutionalized we are in doing it. Heterosexual
women are to adhere to societies norms of how to appear desirable and wanted by the
opposite sex.
I agree with Bartky’s argument, women have become the object of criticism but in reality
it is rare to find a heterosexual women not consciously thinking of what others might think
of her if she does or dresses a certain way that does not within norms. Consciously, we
make ourselves over not only for women’s critic but for all others too. We make ourselves
look desirable and wanted for the opposite sex, although to others we are constantly being
judged and criticized if we do not meet the norm of society to be feminine. In her
argument she says “women lives her body as seen by another, by an anonymous
patriarchal other” which is completely true. Although women have more leeway now to
