Male domination, and the low and stigmatised status of women, cause teenage girls to engage in punishment of their bodies through eating disorders and self-mutilation. There is increasing evidence that woman-hating Western cultures are toxic to girls and very harmful to their mental health. It is, perhaps, not surprising, therefore, that there seem to be some girls baling out and seeking to upgrade their status.
Interpretation
The quote addresses the harmful effects of societal expectations on women's bodies, leading to self-harm among teenage girls.
Sheila Jeffreys highlights the detrimental impact of male domination and societal attitudes towards women, suggesting that the stigma surrounding women contributes to serious issues such as eating disorders and self-mutilation among teenage girls. The quote indicates that these cultures, which perpetuate woman-hating narratives, are deeply harmful to mental health and may push girls to seek ways to elevate their status in a toxic environment.
In practice
In a speech addressing mental health in schools, one might use this quote to highlight the impact of societal pressures.
Men's ideas about what women are have been formed from their ruling caste position, and have assigned women characteristics that would most advantage their masters, as well as justify men's rule over them. They do not represent 'truth' but have been promoted as if they were, with the backing of science and patriarchal views of biology.
If we treat people as they are, we make them worse. If we treat people as they ought to be, we help them become what they are capable of becoming.
You go into a room and you know where you're welcome; you know where you're unwelcome.Sometimes in a hostile situation you stick around because hostility itself is important.The people who are garrulous and wear their heart on their sleeve and tell you everything, that's one kind of person, but the fellow who's hiding behind a tree and hoping you don't see him is the fellow that you'd better find out why.
Well, wouldn't it have been easier if she'd just asked me whether I liked her better than you?" "Girls don't often ask questions like that," said Hermione. "Well, they should!" said Harry forcefully.
A lot of times, rather than helping people with horse problems, I'm helping horses with people problems.
Maybe he's been in Africa so long he has forgotten that we Christians have our own system of marriage, and it is called Monotony.
People are longing to rediscover true community. We have had enough of loneliness, independence and competition.
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