Made to seem perfect or better than it actually is in reality.
From French 'idéal,' derived from Latin 'idealis' (relating to ideas), which comes from Greek 'idea' meaning 'form' or 'pattern.' The '-ize' suffix (from Greek '-izein') added the sense of 'making into' something.
When you 'idealize' something, you're treating it like Plato's Theory of Forms—assuming there's a perfect, pure version of it somewhere in the world of ideas, even though the real one is messy and flawed.
Idealized representations of women historically emphasize appearance, virtue, or domesticity (Madonna, muse) while men are idealized for achievement, intellect, or power—narrowing possibilities for both.
Specify what qualities are being idealized and ground in actual capabilities rather than aesthetic or virtue standards. Be aware of whom gets idealized for what.
["exemplified for [specific achievement]","portrayed as [concrete quality]","celebrated for [named contribution]"]
Feminist art and scholarship have reclaimed the power to define idealization around women's agency, labor, and intellectual contribution rather than male-defined beauty or domesticity.
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