The beauty myth is a term Wolf invented to describe the prescriptive relationship between women’s commodified appearance and their intrinsic value perpetuated by consumer culture within capitalism. This is a multifaceted concept informed by religion, history, and politics. For this reason, it is the title of this book.

Eugenics is a method of encouraging genetically desirable traits and discouraging undesirable counterparts to improve the population. Eugenics arose in the 20th century and typically has strong, negative connotations. It is a discredited pseudoscience that was born out of racial prejudice. It is linked with such historic examples as Nazi Germany, which sought to create a genetically superior, Aryan nation by exterminating Jews, Roma, and other peoples of non-Western heritage, as well as disabled people and political dissidents. 

Feminism is a broad term that describes the struggle for women’s equality. It ranges from basic labor rights to deconstructing patriarchal cultural norms within the West and beyond.