According to OSU’s ways to improve self-esteem “Self acceptance is the single most important factor to increase self-esteem. ” As this article makes clear, the quest for self-acceptance apparently comes at the end of a knife.
Not surprisingly, plastic surgery is not only on the rise. According to The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery, 11.7 million cosmetic procedures where done in 2007. Liposuction is the most popular procedure, followed by breast implants and eye-lip surgery. Botox injections topped at 2.8 million treatments. 91% of the patients are women. About half the breast implants performed on girls under 18 were for cosmetic reasons. I have heard many girls getting breast implants for their graduation or18th birthdays.
I do not think I need to digress how horrible this is, especially since it is women who are getting it done. While as a feminist, I respect a woman’s decision to do with her body as she pleases. However, I question that type of society that promotes narrow ideas of beauty and solutions to not fitting the mold require mutilation of the body. While there may not be laws forcing women into these procedures, the social pressures of beauty in this culture are synonymous with foot-binding, corsets, and female genital mutilation.
Photo by: aesop
3 responses so far ↓
Megan // May 13, 2008 at 9:11 am |
My family tells stories of when I was a little girl and I would yearn for long hair. Memories tell me I did, I yearned for long hair, pretty nails, and boobs. I wanted boobs like my Mom’s, they were so neat, round, soft and she would dress them in a “bra” which only women wore, not girls. I never got the hair naturally, the nails I bought for years but then let that go in my early 20s when I totally had to support myself, then I got my own nails and enjoy when they grow in and look good naturally (not all the time though). And I did get the boobs, 34C. And I’ve never used my boobs as a focal point in my appearance, but I will admit I love having beautiful breasts under clothes, I value them privately for what I consider is beautiful. Or do I think they are beautiful and appreciate them because I know they are a valued feature in our society? I don’t figure in the bathroom privately women who wear a burka for relegious reasons look in the mirror and covet the beauty of their breasts (or do they?)
My question to you then is are we enhancing the aspects of the body that to bring us the sensation of aesthetic pleasure. But the problem is now that instead of it being a healthy relationship with the gift of beauty, it has simply been consumerized.
heidiloebach // May 19, 2008 at 10:53 am |
I heard a horrifying commercial on the radio yesterday while I was driving some of my novice women rowers back to the hotel after racing. It was one of those loud, used-car salesman type ads. The only differences were that 1. it was a woman speaking and 2. she wasn’t talking about selling cars. She was praising the surgeon who had supposedly done a “magnificent job” on her breast augmentation and recommending that all the female listeners call him “RIGHT NOW!!!”
The reactions from the six 19-year-olds in the car was mixed between revulsion and genuine interest. One of the girls even remarked that she wanted implants and was going to try to “convince my mom to get them for herself, so then she’ll pay for mine.”
I had a hard time driving after that, but made it back to the hotel safely…and made sure to change the radio station.
Vonliniowl // August 2, 2008 at 7:22 pm |
Brilliant!