Look Like a Lady - by Elissa Yukiko Weichbrodt (Paperback)

About the Book

For Christian women who feel disillusioned by expectations of womanhood, this book uses personal narrative and art history to uncover five limiting visual stories that have shaped us--Venus, Vessel, Maiden, Mother, and Monster--and five counter-stories that lead to healing and freedom.

Book Synopsis

Images tell powerful stories about how women should look and act. We may think girl power and body positivity have replaced tales of helpless, beautiful princesses, but contemporary images in popular culture continue to perpetuate harmful stereotypes.

In Look like a Lady, art historian Elissa Yukiko Weichbrodt uses personal narrative and art history to uncover five limiting visual stories that have shaped us:

- Venus the beautiful body desired by men
- Vessel an allegorical figure or a container for meaning
- Maiden young, vulnerable, and acted upon by outside forces
- Mother a romanticized, impossible maternal ideal
- Monster the wild creature in need of taming

Weichbrodt challenges these restrictive scripts that continue to exist in popular culture and faith communities and presents five empowering counter-stories from art history. These alternative images tell a richer story about God's heart for women, leading to healing and freedom. Featuring full-color illustrations and Weichbrodt's own hand-drawn images, this book helps Christian women correct and expand their vision of womanhood for today.

About the Author

Elissa Yukiko Weichbrodt (PhD, Washington University in St. Louis) is professor of art and art history at Covenant College in Lookout Mountain, Georgia, and author of the award-winning book Redeeming Vision: A Christian Guide to Looking at and Learning from Art. She has written for Christianity Today and has spoken at The Gospel Coalition Women's Conference. As a biracial Japanese-white woman, she has navigated the joys and tensions of a hybrid identity.