This quote starkly contrasts the treatment of beautiful women in two different eras, drawing attention to a disturbing shift in societal attitudes and behaviors. The 1950s, often idealized for its traditional family dynamics and gender roles, portrayed beauty within the confines of marriage and romance, where women’s value was often linked to their marital status or desirability within courtship rituals. In that context, according to the quote, beauty was acknowledged and ultimately commodified through seduction or marriage, which were socially accepted frameworks.

In contrast, the quote posits that modern culture is significantly more violent and exploitative toward beauty, equating contemporary experiences to trauma and violation, symbolized by the word "raped." This powerful and provocative language underscores a critical view of contemporary cultural dynamics, implying that beauty no longer guarantees any respectful or empowering space but instead renders women vulnerable to objectification and abuse outside consensual or noble paradigms.

From the perspective informed by Naomi Wolf's The Beauty Myth, this change reflects the broader societal control mechanisms imposed on women. Wolf argues that beauty standards are a sophisticated and often oppressive political tool to confine and manipulate women. The quote encapsulates how cultural perceptions of beauty can be harsh and punitive rather than celebratory, indicating a social regression or transformation where women’s bodies and beauty become sites of violence and control rather than empowerment.

This reflection invites deep questioning of the cultural narratives that shape women’s experiences, challenging us to address and dismantle the toxic dynamics that have evolved around beauty across time.