In a county known for barefoot hippies, natural beauty and anti-establishment culture, Santa Cruz women still feel intense pressure to curate how they look, says writer and radio host Suki Wessling. She reflects on Botox appointments over the hill, Zoom beauty filters, punk-rock rebellion and a lively Santa Cruz Feminist Society debate about beauty, aging and self-expression. Her argument: Even here, women are spending too much time staring into the digital mirror — and not enough time simply living.
