I Hate Plastic Surgery
OK, let me just give a disclaimer here before I start my rant, because some people who are very close to me have had plastic surgery. In no way does this make me think less of you, OK? I fully understood where you were coming from. I still hate plastic surgery. I've never had any, and I never plan to.
I know it's easy to say that at 28 because I haven't had to seriously address wrinkles and gray hair yet. Lines, yes. Wrinkles, not yet. But with the number of boob jobs out there, maybe it's not as easy to say as I think.
I hate plastic surgery for two main reasons. Women think they have to have it, and our culture encourages things that fester that idea, and women think their life will change afterwards. Like that little bit of cartilage or fat is the only thing standing in the way of complete happiness.
Now, I'm sure some people have had surgery and it upped their self esteem, and now they live successful lives. Whatever.
I could rant on any number of images in the media that are aimed at younger women, but here is my gripe for today. Older ladies, could you PLEEASE give us an example of aging gracefully?? I'm asking on behalf of the young girls who don't have any idea what wisdom and grace are. Please please please consider the lines in your face to be marks of character and a life lived to the fullest. Please don't fall victim to the modern American notion that when you get to a certain age you're not viable sexually anymore, and so you should disappear and become voiceless.
Please find other things to do with your money so that us younger women have something to hold up as a model for our lives in the future. Please stop trying to look like you're 25 when you're really 40 or 40 if you're really 60. Show us the power that comes with age, the fruits of the wisdom you've gathered over the years. Spearhead projects that help the community and foster relationships between generations of women. Help us bridge the communication gap between the young women and the older ones.
Please don't pay good money you've worked hard at a lesser wage for to get your brow/eyes looking like you're perpetually surprised. Don't get your ears cut off your face just to pull the skin back a bit. Don't put toxins in a hypodermic to freeze your brow line so you can't make an expression. Don't silence your own voice.
Don't waste money on fighting "aging". It is inevitable. Show us how to experience it with grace.
--Virgil
posted by contemplator at Monday, May 08, 2006
10 Comments:
Oh I agree about the aging part! I've been lucky enough to attend a women's retreat where the older women are highly respected and aging is considered a sign of wisdom and power, so I know it *can* be different. It's still like this in a few cultures around the world, but not many.
I do think plastic surgery has it's place, as there are people who choose elective procedures for serious reasons, but it's been way over-used and has only increased the unhealthy body image that abounds in our country.
It's especially disgusting to hear of teenagers (14 and 15 year-old girls) getting plastic surgery. What ever happened to self-respect people? I want to grab their moms and shake some sense into them - their daughters never had a chance to feel comfortable in their own skin.
I can't imagine having poison injected into my face just to rid myself of wrinkle. If you don't like the way I look then just don't look!
I'm not saying all plastic surgery is bad--someone who gets their boobs reduced for example has a lot of genuine reasons for doing so. Plastic surgery for cancer or burn victims was obviously the reason the field came about in the first place.
Don't get me started on the teenagers! I stuck with the older women because in my opinion if we had stronger female role models, we wouldn't have teenagers getting boob jobs as graduation presents.
Exactly, Exactly, Exactly!!! My favorite are the girls who get boob-jobs as a graduation present...FROM HIGH SCHOOL!!!!
Seriously, though, I have been considering (and I do qualify) a reduction surgery. It is a serious issue where two ruptured discs and permanent depressions arcross my shoulders (from bra straps) are only two of the sources of pain.
As for the older women needing to look younger, I don't completely blame the media, though they are greatly at fault. Part of the problem stems from our society having a disregard to older generations. Elders are not respected and cared for or revered in our society as they are in other cultures. It's really sad.
Girl, also don't get me started on mare estrogen. It gave my aunt breast cancer. I'm planning to either muddle through as best I can, or store up as much soy products as I can.
When I was your age I felt the same way. I thought that middle aged women were beautiful, gray hair lovely, and lines showed character. At 42, I still do. About everyone else. I have several friends who have had boob jobs. They are very matter of fact about it. It has helped their self esteem. I have another friend who want's a tummy tuck to repair pregnancy damage. I don't like my lines as I thought I would. I don't like the fact that it feels like my face is falling. I don't like the fact that my skin in the last year truly has changed. It has lost it's elasticity in the way they said it would. I have sun damage on my face. My peeps compliment me the way I am of course as good peeps do. But, while I still have no intention of getting any work done, I do understand it in a way now that I didn't at 28. It feels good to look good to oneself. I don't want to look like a model, or to look perfect, but making friends with the signs of ones lost youth is not necessarily as easy as I thought it would be. Perhaps, for some, preserving things, isn't necessarily aging ungracefully, but rather, it is making a choice for herself. I'm not so sure that it's such a bad example anymore. It's not a bad thing for a woman to make a decision about her own body. Yes, we are subject to all the standards that f'd up aspects of our culture dish out, which is sad on one hand, but perhaps that isn't what's important. Still, no plans for me, other than a box of Clairol Natural Instincts once in a while. Even that I thought I would never do!
Sandra, I can understand what you're saying, and I'll grant that I may feel different about the whole thing when I'm 40 something. But I hope not.
I am interested in this notion of "preserving" something, as this is my mother's line of reasoning for a face lift. Maybe I'll have to blog on the concept. What exactly would you be preserving? An unnatural state of "beauty", where beauty standards change with the weather?
I don't consider most elective plastic surgery as a choice that women get to make about their bodies. It's a marketing ploy preying on women. If our society valued our older women, I doubt the "choice" would've even been considered. Why is it that boob jobs help our self esteem? It's because small boobs are not valued in society. I consider women's bodies more important than a fluctuating standard of beauty. I get why women have boob jobs. I find it sad they have to resort to that to improve their self esteem. It's why their self esteem is wrapped around a boob job that's the real issue.
Of course, it's tragic that their self esteem is wrapped around a boob job. It's tragic that this is something that they feel they have to live up to. Yet, all societies have standards about beauty. We always have a choice about whether we conform. I just wonder if this is more of a civilization problem rather than an American problem. That said, I too, feel that the pressure here is ridiculous and sadly twisted. My daughter has had three roommates in 5 years of college that have had 3 different eating disorders. She has spent the entire time trying to avoid developing one herself. It's hard to like yourself when your roommates who are 10 pounds lighter than your 130 pound self, are freaking out about the inch of skin on their tum tum when they sit. She said she has usually been embarrassed to eat in front of them! anyway. yeah. lots of pressure to be perfect here.
I agree about your feelings about womens bodies being more important than a fluctuating standard of beauty - theres no doubt about this. We should be able to find natural aging beautiful. We could start a "naturally beautiful, aging women" revolution! Or a magazine! I know, lets start a discussion forum! :) just kidding.
Yup, that's where third wave feminism went--eating disorders. I've read different statistics, but they peg eating disorders among young women at 30-60%. Varies with each source. But it's phenomenal.
I think you're right that it's a civilization problem and not exclusively an American problem. Italy is obsessed with looks. Americans seem to be more obsessed with weight than other countries. The average American woman intakes 1400 calories a day on purpose, which is starvation, I do believe.
"We should be able to find natural aging beautiful. We could start a "naturally beautiful, aging women" revolution!"
Preachin' to the choir, sister! Unfortunately, to borrow from Gil Scott Heron, that revolution won't be televised either.
:)
Post a Comment
<< Home