Plastic Surgery: Why So Taboo?

In 2010, plastic surgery was nearly an eleven billion dollar industry.  Despite its prevalence in cultures all around the world, it has yet to be deemed socially acceptable.  Both women and men who choose to have a procedure, whether it be breast implants, a nose job, a face lift, or liposuction, are commonly looked down upon for not accepting their own body and embracing the qualities that make them different from others.

However, there is minimal difference between getting braces and having a surgical procedure.  Depending on a patient’s specific conditions and his/her exact procedure, both are rather costly, both take time and involve some sort of recovery, and both can drastically alter an appearance and change a person’s self-confidence.  Whereas braces have assimilated into being a norm in our society, someone who has just had lip injections would be judged and possibly even ostracized.    

People who choose to have surgical procedures don’t need to have their motives questioned.  Whether it is to have more confidence, look younger, or restore a part of the body that was injured a traumatic experience, both sexes are entitled to do as they please with their bodies.  It is unfair to pressure them out of their decision with the dry, unsympathetic words “But you are beautiful!”  It will not change the way he/she feels about his/her body.

Although people commonly argue that people should refrain from having plastic surgery since beauty differs from culture to culture and there is no real definition of beauty, does it really matter?  The cliché “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder” holds truth.  In Africa, women are praised for being what America would deem as overweight.  In France, women commonly get breast reductions as opposed to in America where most women get breast implants.  In China, women are praised for their pale skin in contrast to America where many people have spray tans.  It is the fact that all people of all different cultures praise different aesthetics that makes this world so beautiful and diverse.   

It is unfair to judge someone who has had plastic surgery on their operation.  When I asked someone what they thought about Lana Del Rey’s music, they responded with “Can you believe her lips?”  When I asked someone what they thought about Ashley Tisdale as an actress, they responded with “Did you see her nose?”  When I asked someone what they thought about Heidi Montag as a person, they responded with “Did you see what happened to her face?”  It seems as though the same people who preach that beauty is much more than what is on the surface are the same people who use only aesthetics to judge people’s worth.  Anyone who has plastic surgery should not be viewed as morally and physically “ugly” just because they’ve had an operation.

Although society has become more open-minded in recent decades, plastic surgery has remained a taboo topic.  Although we should embrace the diversity of our world, we should not shun those who are dissatisfied with their appearance. 

A Response to “Interview with Greta Friedman”: Rape Culture

Anyone who has studied World War II has seen the famous image of the mysterious sailor kissing the women after the end of the war in Time’s Square in 1945.  We have all idealized this image as an icon symbolizing the utmost joy for the end of war.  What many people don’t realize is that today, such an incident is considered sexual assault.

In an interview with Greta Friedman, the woman in the picture identified years after the image was published, she states “It wasn’t my choice to be kissed. The guy just came over and grabbed [me]!” and “That man was very strong.  I wasn’t kissing him.  He was kissing me.”  Despite that this is clearly an incident of sexual assault by today’s definition, articles continue to publish the photo as a celebratory and romantic symbol of the war’s conclusion without any regards to Friedman’s point of view, leading veterans to revere it as an act of relief and enthusiasm. 

Although George Mendosa, the man who kissed the woman, had every right to express his excitement for the war’s end, he had no right to infringe on a woman’s body.  The media’s lack of expressing Friedman’s opinion illustrates that many of us have fallen victim to rape culture – a world where we normalize sexual assault and brush it off with the saying “Boys will be boys.”  A world where we are taught to submit to the desires of men.  A world we are expected to accept unwelcomed sexual advancements.

While some may argue that referring to this image as an incident of sexual assault is taking it to the extreme because Friedman is seemingly unharmed by the event, it is important to note the social pressures to conform and let such an instance be considered trivial.  After all, it really is “just a kiss.”  However, Friedman gave no consent and was completely unaware that it was going to happen.  Just because she is not traumatized by the event does not mean that Mendoza’s actions should be deemed acceptable. 

This image is an illusion to the glorious end of the war that should not be valued within our society, but rather judged as an act of sexual assault that we can all learn from.

A Response to Paul Ryan’s Reasoning on Abortion at the Vice Presidential Debate

“The policy of a Romney administration will be to oppose abortion with the exceptions for rape, incest and life of the mother.”

The single sentence that surges anger through my body. 

All of these Republican middle-aged white men who seem to think they know what a woman should do with her body fail to address the issue that gets her there in the first place.  Ryan failed to talk about the government taking measures to prevent abortions from happening in the first place.  Ryan failed to talk about promoting national condom distribution or making birth control more accessible.  Ryan failed to talk about advocating programs that educate teenagers about safe sex.

But even then, it is still a woman’s right to do whatever she wishes with her body. 

It is easy to undermine the changes that will happen in regards to abortion rights under the Romney administration.  If Romney is elected, the court case from Roe v. Wade in 1973, which secured a woman's right to choice, will be overturned and abortion will become a state's issue to decide.  A woman's body is not a political battleground, nor should it be up for debate.  

Ryan claims to respect other peoples’ opinions, yet he still tries to sway them with emotional propaganda.  “We saw that heartbeat.  Our little baby was in the shape of a bean.”  This appeal to emotions is a huge injustice to women; the decision is hard enough without making a woman feel like a baby butcher.  Ryan also states, "My faith informs me about how to take care of the vulnerable... how to make sure that people have a chance in life."  This is the same man who has no plan to protect these children after their birth, who expects women to provide for their baby with a seven dollar an hour job at McDonalds,  who is unwilling to create government programs to pay for the healthcare of these children.

Ryan also argues that the Obama administration has violated the first amendment by “infringing on Catholic charities… churches… hospitals ”  A report released by the National Campaign to Prevent Teen Pregnancy reveals that 20% of adolescents have sex before they are fifteen.  What’s better – governmental programs informing teens about their options to have safe sex, or a church preaching abstinence until marriage?

Declaring abortions illegal will not stop women from getting them.  It will lead to back-alley surgeries or self-abortions that jeopardize women’s health and life.

The logic is quite simple: If you are against abortion, don’t get one.  

The debate can be viewed at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j3roG09O6T4.

An Open Letter to the Members of One Direction

Dear Harry Styles, Liam Payne, Niall Horan, Zayn Malik, and Louis Tomlinson,

We need to talk.

No, I don’t want your autograph, I don’t want to run my fingers through your hair, and I most definitely don’t want you to sing to me.  I do, however, need to share some of my thoughts about your hit song What Makes You Beautiful. 

When I first heard the song on the radio, I was impressed by the catchy tune and up beat music.  After listening to it a couple more times, I found myself singing to the lyrics.  It was at this moment that I realized exactly what you were saying, and to put it lightly, I was a little less than ok with it.

You romanticize low self-esteem, idolize girls with poor body images, and imply that girls who do not wear makeup are more pure and wholesome than those who do.  It has been well established in today’s media that lacking self-confidence is bad thing.  Yet, you are all attracted to the fact that she is “insecure” and does not know “What makes her beautiful.”  You state this directly in the line "Right now I'm looking at you and I can't believe / You don't know, you don't know you're beautiful / That's what makes you beautiful."

A woman is entitled to have confidence in whatever she chooses to – be it physical characteristics, a personality trait, an accomplishment, or a talent.  There is nothing trendy about a woman that is yet to find herself in today’s day and age.  Yet your lyrics “You’re insecure / Don’t know what for” and “If only you saw what I can see / You’ll understand why I want you so desperately” showcase how highly you view her because of how poorly she views herself.  You all seem to be drawn into the challenge of making this girl confident.  Quite honestly, I already foresee the ending to this love episode – if the girl does gain confidence, suddenly she won’t be nearly as attractive as she was before. 

Additionally, the lyrics “Don’t need makeup, to cover up / Being the way that you are is enough” imply that girls who do wear makeup are putting up a fake image and lying to the world about who they truly are.  It is really none of your business what a girl decides to do with her face.  If she has more confidence with makeup on, who are you to jeopardize how she feels about herself?  You calling her beautiful will never make her feel beautiful, so quit playing the “natural beauty” card. 

 

But I get it.  It’s ‘just a song’ after all.  I target What Makes You Beauty because unlike other songs such as Justin Bieber’s One Less Lonely Girl, you capitalize on this girl’s low self-esteem for a romantic/sexual relationship and attempt to ‘rescue’ her from a lifetime of insecurity.   

Men need to take note of a woman’s low self-esteem instead of using it against her to create a relationship.  Men need to realize and value the independence of a woman.  Men need to stop admiring insecurity and start admiring confidence.  Your song is currently infecting the minds of millions of teenage girls across the globe.  Instead of being concerned with making a new hit song and scoring the big bucks, use some common sense and realize the effect your song will have on the females around the world who are listening to it.