[Physicist]

That being said, most (decent) men I know are not nearly as hard on women as women are on themselves and each other.

That's the key to the entire issue. Until women realize that this is something they do to themselves, it's not going to get better.

[pollyannaish]

Oddly, I think we are raising both boys and girls to have very little respect for themselves. I hope that my children will learn to hold their head high and put their best foot forward. In real life, beauty is a combination of effort and attitude...for men and women.