By Gillian Maffeo: “I am a staunch Republican. I was born wearing stilettos and Coco Chanel perfume. Fact: I can find a pair of Manolo Blahniks for $50.”
I don’t care who you are, what you do, or if you are the alpha male – don’t argue with me that plastic surgery doesn’t make you feel better. Women and men have been getting nipped and tucked for decades, and in recent years the plastic surgery phenomenon has become more popular than a one night stand. Whether you see it in mainstream media or from the girl-next-doors’ perky new double D’s, people obsess over perfection. The 60’s are the new 40’s baby, and everyone wants to look younger, feel younger and some may even strive to fight for the title “MILF” or “Cougar.” Come on, it’s classy.
Studies have shown that people report increased satisfaction with the body part they had surgery on, states the American Psychological Association. I too, am one of those with increased satisfaction from going under the knife. Plastic surgery has not only boosted my self-esteem, but it has helped my quality of life, self-confidence and my long term interpersonal relationship. Sound pathetic or insecure? Well, don’t come running to me when you find out your mom tightened the drapes down there and no longer resembles Cruella de Vil. Yes, you read that correctly. As a matter of fact, Labioplasty (also referred to as Labiaplasty) is used to improve the appearance, symmetry, contour, and size of the labia (vaginal lips). It’s becoming one of the leading plastic surgeries in America.
Who would have thought?
Plastic surgery can also give confidence to those who have battled cancer. For example, women who have had breast cancer often choose a breast augmentation and men who have had testicular cancer and undergo a radical orchiectomy, have the opportunity to get a prosthetic testicle. Nuts huh? No pun intended.
About a month ago I had an open Rhinoplasty – a.k.a. nose job. It was probably one of the best Zen experiences I have ever gone through. No yoga class could beat it. Everything was absolutely perfect – the surgeon, nurses, meds – everything. Of course, leading up to the surgery I was a complete wreck. I would watch rhinoplasty’s on YouTube and would vomit as I watched the surgeons meticulously peel back the cartilage in the nose and chisel away at the bone. Yuk. Well thankfully, I had wonderful anesthesiologists that sent me to the same place Happy Gilmore went during his golf tournaments.
Pre-nose job, I hated everything about my profile. I had a “Roman” nose to begin with and it didn’t benefit me that I had broken it surfing inclement conditions. Oh, and I also broke it walking in stilettos. “We” don’t like to talk about that.
My whole life I have envied people with perfect noses. I would tear up every photograph of myself and de-tag photos from Facebook. I was horrified of my own face. Some of my family and friends thought I was completely imbecilic to get my nose done, but do you really think I would listen to them? They didn’t stand a chance in my decision making.
For a substantial amount of time I was miserable. Every day I felt insecure, especially in my relationship. So what if my old nose gave me “character” or showed my true Italian colors? I wanted change, and I wanted it pronto.
There is so much pressure in today’s society, and so many people are striving for the perfect body, face, boobs, lips – you name it. Although, this was not the ultimate reason I went through the surgery. I simply was not happy, and if you have the resources to fix it, then fix it. If Botox would make you smile every time you looked in the mirror and made you feel confident around individuals, then why not? Last year I wanted a little extra plump in my lips, so for a quick fix, I got Juvederm injections. Voila. Plump, Perfect and $650 dollars less in my bank account.
It can all easily be achieved through doing research, finding a great plastic surgeon and a couple hefty down payments.
We walk by people everyday who have had an injection, fraxil treatment, dermabrasion or plastic surgery. We are a society obsessed with perfection. You may not agree with me, but in the back of everyone’s minds, there is always something about their body that they are not happy with. Don’t like how short your hair is? Well, that’s a simple fix. Get hair extensions. Been there, done that.
Soon enough, plastic surgery is going to become more accessible than Starbucks lattes. Botox parties are already a hot trend and now doctors give the options for their customers to finance their saline or silicone boobs and pay monthly for that tummy tuck. There are even people out there who claim to be “knife coaches” (with no medical background) and charge around $800 a pop to counsel people in their plastic surgery decisions. People have been experiencing tough financial situations in the down economy, and plastic surgeons will do whatever they can to keep drumming out more procedures, and the crazy part is, people (i.e. me) are still spending the cash.
According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery (ASAPS), over 10.2 million cosmetic surgical and nonsurgical procedures were performed in the United States in 2008. Since 1997, the overall number of cosmetic procedures has increased 162 percent. The most frequently performed nonsurgical procedure was Botox injections and the most popular surgical procedure was breast augmentation and 152,434 Rhinoplasty’s were done in 2008.
So next time you see me, I will probably have those perky double D’s that your neighbor has and a new pair of hair extensions, but for now, I am very confident and happy with my life.
Photo 1: Before Rhinoplasty and horrible picture. You know those “troubled years” everyone goes through and awkwardly dying your hair a different color? Yep.
Photo 2: This is what I look like on drugs. Minutes after I woke up from anesthesia.
Photo 3: Bliss.
Before
Post Op
Today
Fantastic post! It’s interesting to look at how self-image is often linked to self-confidence, and, in my opinion, it’s increasingly so over generations. One generation influencing another.
Curious to see how brands like Dove are impacting this mindset with their Campaign for Real Beauty.
Do you think this gets worse as you become “more perfect?”
I totally tend to directly correlate self-image to my self-confidence. I used to push 2 bills and wear 38-waist pants. Since I’ve trimmed down significantly by rowing in college, I’ve noticed that I’ve only become more obsessed with looking my best and keeping myself in shape. How does that work for someone who’s been under the knife?
After my nose job I saw how flawed body parts can get fixed so easily. Our generation is increasingly signing up for plastic surgery. A lot of my friends who are millennials have already had a boob job or nose job when they were either 16, 18, 19 or 20.
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This post was mentioned on Twitter by edwardboches: Plastic surgery, first a nose job, but where will it lead? Do you really want to know? Interesting post on TNGG http://bit.ly/1bcAg1...
Why question patriarchy and its oppressive definitions when you can conform instead? It’s much easier–although more expensive–and you get to be a part of the problem. Now, I’m not anti-plastic surgery, but I do think its a bit naive and shallow to think that your problems can be solved in this way. It’s a band-aid for a major issue. Work on changing oppressive norms and I promise you’ll feel a lot better about yourself. And in the process, you’ll also be free of this “post-feminist” push that conforms to oppressive norms under the guise of free choice.
And Steve….are you a millennial?
I’m not going to lie. This freaked me out. I’m all about self-empowerment and doing what makes ya feel good. But! This article supposedly represents my generation? Not so much. I couldn’t disagree more.
This is shallow and sad. This is not intelligent and compelling. This does NOT represent the kids I know. This does NOT represent me. And yes, I’m a millennial. And yes, I’m appalled by what I just read.
(If it was a personal blog, cool. But this post is a reflection of the entire millennial generation?! What a joke.)
–Sara
If you take a look at millennials as a whole, everyone is different, everyone is an individual and everybody has a different group of friends. This does not reflect on the entire millennial generation, but it takes on traits of our generation. It may not represent you or the “kids” you know, but it does represent a part (maybe even slim part) of millennials.
Getting plastic surgery does not make you shallow. If something about your appearance bothers you, of course you have every right to correct it. It would be nice if you were also spared the judgment of others, but hey that’s life.
That said, it is a legitimate concern that some people get plastic surgery for the wrong reasons. The best thing that plastic surgery can do for you, I think, is remove an annoyance of an obstacle; attractive people make more money and are generally treated better, so improving your appearance will no doubt open some doors for you. However, no surgery will ever make you happy. Once you’ve removed some barriers, it’s up to you to make your life the life you want.
Gillian, to answer your question, although I don’t identify myself as a “millennial,” I was born in 1982…for what that’s worth. More specifically, I’m a sociologist who is also deeply entrenched in discussions such as these with many other people from the college-age demographic. Nonetheless, what difference does it make? My claims stand on their own irregardless of my own social location.
It sounds like Sara sees the issue in a similar way as I do. Regardless of the countless recent claims that the ‘personal is political’, conformity is nowhere near the same as empowerment. Just because you “feel” empowered by plastic surgery does not mean that the process actually is empowering. (Perhaps there’s a distinction to be made here between emotional and political/real-world empowerment.)
You absolutely have the right to “choose” conformity, but it is imperative to note that this is not much of a choice in the sense that so many patriarchal structures are set up to lead people in this direction anyway. Viewing it as a choice, in a sense, is a lie people often tell themselves so much that many begin to believe it.
As more and more people take steps in the direction you took (and describe in your post), don’t be surprised if the hard-earned accomplishments of the feminist movement are lost in corresponding steps backwards.
I’m not asking anyone to feel bad, just to think about the issue a bit more critically. Additionally, if you’re interested in a further discussion in line with the perspective I’m offering, I suggest looking at the following article:
Banet-Weiser, Sara and Laura Portwood-Stacer. 2006. “‘I just want to be me again!’: Beauty pageants, reality television and post-feminism.” Feminist Theory. 7(2): 255-272.
If anyone wants to read the article but can’t access it, feel free to email me at socsavvy@gmail.com and I’ll be happy to send it in .pdf format.
I’m going to have to agree with Gillian. To an extent. (And this might surprise Steve, seeing as he is one of my sociology professors)
I broke my nose numerous times in sports when I was younger. It wasn’t bad before a run from the ages of about 8 to 13 of numerous facial injuries, but is now crooked and resembles a “roman” nose. Honestly, it annoys me on a consistent basis.
I’m the only one in my family with a nose like this. From the side, with my strong jaw, my face looks like a freaking wedge. When I walk by a mirror and catch a glimpse of my profile out of the corner of my eye, I cringe.
I’ve thought about plastic surgery. I haven’t done anything with that (research, payment, etc), but honestly could see myself doing that in the future. Especially as I enter the communications arena. Studies out there say that attractive people have facial symmetry. Studies out there say that attractive people have a better chance at succeeding in life. Logical conclusion: If I want to succeed, I should probably fix the crooked nose.
Yes, as far as many plastic surgeries go, namely breasts and lips, you can blame the patriarchal for most of that. Personally, I think double-Ds look absolutely ridiculous on some women. I draw the comparison to me getting biceps implants to give myself 20-inch pipes. It just wouldn’t flow with the rest of my body.
Some people may be “choosing” conformity. But others may simply understand the benefits to improving physical appearance (and yes, it is likely the patriarchal structures that lead to this decision, but understanding that and ‘gaming’ the structure is key). I can’t speak for Gillian’s decision making process.
Complete detachment from the rest of what I was saying because I got sidetracked and forgot where I was going, but I’m going to end on this question:
Could the feminist movement actually benefit from women having plastic surgery? Like I said earlier, physically attractive people tend to succeed easier in life (according to studies). Male or female, they’re given a glass elevator to power. Then through those positions of power, could someone who understands the patriarchal position and ‘gamed’ the structure then work from the inside to change the structure, top-down?
Sorry for the randomness. Twitter is like crack for kids with ADHD. I can’t stay away.
*p.s.- The article Steve referenced is a good one, regardless of viewpoint. I recommend anyone who is interested in this topic give it a look.
30 years ago I had a tiny nip-tuck on my nose. I had the bump taken off the tip of my “Irish nose”. Just a slight shaving of cartillege made me so much happier with the way I viewed myself. I never really talked about it much, but I’ve also not kept it a secret, I tell GFs all the time- if ya’ want it fixed, fix it! I think today, and I’m past 50, when I look in the mirror it’s not a perfect face that looks back, but a face of confidence! Happy with most of my life-choices. I never aspired for perfection, still don’t, but always trying to become a better me and now in my life, that depends way more on the inside than out.
Congrats on your darling nose! Enjoy it and I think you are very bold and honest to write about it. Looking forward to continued articles from you & #TNGG.
Mike, Colby and Lisa, thank you for your comments. Glad you can see my point of view.
Steve, Thanks for sharing the article and your posts. However, I feel so empowered and complete after surgery. It was such a mental and emotional thing. In this day and age, Millennial’s will continue to go under the knife.
Now Steve, take this example – it may be a little of a stretch. Say that you had very large ears that stuck out. Would you get an Otoplasty (tucked back)?
Audre Lorde famously stated that “the master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house.” Which, when applied to this issue, suggests that those who try to “game the system,” as Colby mentioned, will find themselves ill-equipped to subvert it. (Indeed, it would even be seen as quite hypocritical to even attempt to do so.) To torture the cliche, you can’t have your cake and eat it too. Either you fight for feminist empowerment or you conform to patriarchal norms, which in the end is just a (passive) vote for patriarchy. I guess in this sense (and only this sense) the personal may indeed be a bit political. (I don’t mean to offer this as an absolutely cut-and-dry issue, but I see it much more closely in this manner rather than the view offered by the original post and those who ‘agree’ with it.)
I appreciate this discussion as a whole, which includes all of the posts. I don’t deny the privilege afforded to those who conform to patriarchal standards of beauty in US popular culture, but I stress the difference between acknowledging it and simply conforming to it. There are plenty of nuanced options for those interested in exploring alternative approaches to any issue.
To answer Gillian’s individualizing question, I’m not sure. I respect the right for people to decide whether or not they need surgery, especially following accidents and other medical emergencies, and I can absolutely think of hypothetical accidents that could happen to me after which I would want help returning to my previous physical state. However, I don’t see myself wanting to change a healthy me because I don’t fit the popular mold. Despite how common it is for Americans to individualize issues, its unfortunately something that is also quite deeply entrenched in social structure.
If people start making connections between the realms of the individual and the social, then I think we’ll all be better off and discussions like these will be much more productive. But if the next generation doesn’t start thinking about the world in a much more critical manner, I’m not so sure how great it will be.
I started writing a response a bit different from the one below but after working through what I thought while typing it out, a different argument/idea began to form.
I started thinking about the cause of plastic surgery. If it existed waaay back when, would people want it then? Why is it getting so much more popular now?
I’ve come up with the idea that plastic surgery and media is a circular process…
By using plastic surgery, we are changing the way everyone views what people in society should look like. We are told that perfect symmetry, perfect bodies, plump lips are right, and so we go get them. But by doing this, we are creating an expectation for future generations, telling them that they must look good to get by.
But what about changing what it is that ‘beauty’ means, instead of conforming to what we think beauty is? Why do people feel parts of them are ‘ugly’ in the first place? Who or what told them so? Was it ads, and hollywood, and movies and television?
This is where we should start to change our ways–let’s promote beauty in everyone. Who actually has the perfect nose, body, fill-in-the-blank-here? Hardly anyone. So lets stop airbrushing and pretending. The problem here isn’t plastic surgery–it’s this image that we are projecting in media and magazine. Be perfect, look perfect, or fail. And the more we promote this idea, the more people will get plastic surgery and the more we will need to look perfect.
I don’t disagree with Gillian getting plastic surgery to make herself feel better…but why did she feel bad in the first place? Why does anyone? Is it because they really believed they were not good enough? Or is it because since they were kids perfect women and men graced the media they looked at?
No wonder we want perfection and are going and getting it–we are being told to.
What about, instead of telling people to fix their boobs if they don’t like them, we change the expectation that boobs have to be big and perky to be liked?
I know that my argument has holes..I’d love to hear another take on this, or why you think this is wrong. I’m not trying to take away from the idea that plastic surgery doesn’t make you emotionally feel better, but of why we even think we need this, and if this need could be changed.
(In other points I had, I discussed that the money we pay for getting plastic surgery could be put to SUCH better use–providing food to the hungry, curing diseases like cancer so people don’t need to get new breasts at all, etc. What if we fixed these things instead? Is that a fair question to ask?)
Lets get one thing straight. We live in a individualistic country. People tend to be giving, selfish or both. I got surgery because I DID NOT like how my nose was and it made me have low confidence. Sure, go ahead and say I am shallow, etc, etc, but if something can make YOU happy then do it. If giving hungry people food makes YOU happy, then do it. It goes both ways and neither debate wins. And I am a firm, firm, believer that since my surgery, I have become more confident than I could ever imagine. I don’t have double D’s so I can’t answer why people are getting those fixed. But are we all missing the fact that plastic surgery can help people too? For example, even breast cancer patients. Many women augment their breasts after cancer…but, hm, they must be shallow right? Because they want boobs? Or are they supposed to accept themselves for who they are without boobs? I don’t mean to pick on breast cancer, but my aunt re-did her boobs after her battle (she has been through 3 battles so far) and all she wanted was her boobs back, and she got them.
To each their own.
Gillian, I know you feel the need to defend your actions and the position you advance in your post, but don’t let it get in the way of you being able to see straight. First of all, you explicitly state your intention to buy “double D’s,” which you are completely ignorant of in your last post. Second, why are you comparing ‘reconstructive’ surgery to your own situation when we have already distinguished it from situations like yours? (It seems like even you can see the difference.) You are constructing a ridiculous straw-man by suggesting that anyone has called cancer patients shallow. In short, I think your defensiveness has limited your ability to see this from a rational perspective.
I have no intention of trying to change anyone’s mind, but I was at least hoping to have an intelligent and rational conversation about the issue. (Clearly you had similar expectations, right, or else why would you have chosen to write for this site?) You absolutely have the legal right to keep operating on the assumption that you live in a vacuum, but that does not make it so. My only hope is that this conversation sparks those who come across it to think about these issues rather than just accept them at face-value…
P.S. I think Kate has outlined a quite powerful and revelatory perspective on the issue and I second the great questions she poses! It constitutes much of the “social structural” context I mentioned earlier.
Thanks for your thoughts. Always great to hear another point of view.
Couldn’t you also make a case for feminist empowerment being the freedom to choose to do as one wishes to her body?
Yes, there are obviously social structural issues that affect this decision. Gillian discusses those in her original post. But the facts are- social structure affects everything. Every decision, every action, everything. Can’t escape it.
So embrace it.
How much different is Gillian’s plastic surgery than me going to the gym? Both make us feel better about ourselves through physical appearance and both make us believe we are more attractive to other people. Alright, so working out probably has more physical health (heart rate, blood pressure, etc) benefits than a nose job. But liposuction has positive physical health benefits (assuming a complication-free procedure) as well.
Perhaps my “gaming the system” argument was mislabeled. How about “embracing the social”? Because the social effects will always be there.
Kate talks about the circulatory process of appearance. Remember when women, young women, would wear white wigs? (well, not remember, as none of us were even close to alive. But you get the idea)
It is circular. It is social. But it never ceases to exist. This argument isn’t about feminism. It’s about freedom and choice within a social structure. It’s about how the social structure affects those choices, evolves the ‘popular’ choices, and understanding that it plays a role.
Bravo Colby.
Colby, of course we can’t escape the social. But be careful of trying to label Gillian’s decision to have plastic surgery as “embracing the social,” as I can make just as strong of a case that the perspective I offer “embraces” just as much if not more of the social realm. Perhaps you mean that such an act embraces patriarchal norms of beauty and/or the status quo.
The issue is, as I think you are suggesting, what you choose to do within the social. (This is the agency side that butts up against structure.) In the end, that is indeed up to individuals to decide, and I’m not suggesting otherwise.
Additionally, it’s interesting to me to see how many posts have argued in support of plastic surgery decisions directly, when I haven’t–in the same sense–made much of any case against it. Rather, I (and a few others) have tried to offer broader context within which the issue sits so as to see the issue with greater perspective.
Just as you suggest that so many of these issue are intertwined in the social realm, don’t be so quick to say that this isn’t about feminism. It absolutely is, just as its about norms of beauty, so-called “choice” (often under the guise of hegemony), etc. Focus on and decide what you wish. Just be aware of the–sometimes hard to see–context and consequences…
P.S. I also see an interesting parallel between the first sentence of Colby’s most recent post to a rift in the history of the feminist movement between those who believed in “free choice first” and those who believed in “sexual equality first.” (Colby may even remember this from a reading on social deviance from years past….see: Jolin, Annette. 1994. “On the backs of Working Prostitutes: Feminist Theory and Prostitution Policy.” Crime and Delinquency, 40:2 69-83.)
Steve, you can keep trying to put this conversation in a broader perspective, but the truth remains that plastic surgery for me is completely normal. Everyone in my life understands that I went under the knife and accepts it. You can talk about feminism and patriarchal norms and whatever, but the simple truth remains that, to me, plastic surgery was just a simple fix to a simple problem.
Gillian, I guess we’ll just have to accept that we can no longer have a productive discussion because we simply cannot agree upon a common discursive ground. You look at it the issue from an individual(istic) perspective and I from a much broader, sociological one. Fair enough. I have no problem agreeing to disagree.
Gillian, thanks for your honest post. It’s hard to put yourself out there on a blog, much less a post about your physical features and personal transformation. What you went through is certainly what many people experience in life. I commend you for sharing your story in such a public way.
That said, I’m not sure the argument that everyone is doing it (that is, getting plastic surgery) is strong enough to quiet discussion about why people go under the knife in the first place, and whether it legitimately makes people feel better, or if it just reproduces and reifies the very system that constrains us–and makes us feel like we need surgery–in the first place.
The curious thing about human social experience is that it’s never as cut and dry as we suspect, especially when we draw on our individual circumstances to make conclusions about society as a whole. Yes, plastic surgery is on the rise, but not everyone is buying into the idea that going under the knife will deliver happiness and a positive self-image. In addition, people are constrained by cultural and socioeconomic forces that make surgery unacceptable or difficult to obtain. Because of the numerous factors that influence whether or not someone would or could get plastic surgery, I think we need to be careful about overstating its prevalence or popularity.
Plastic surgery isn’t something to be glib about. It’s a medical procedure with real risk. On the flip side, I totally understand why people who can afford plastic surgery go for it—it’s a basic human desire, fostered by social interaction, to want to fit in and be perceived as attractive—and that social approval, in turn, empowers you. If you want it and can afford it, perhaps it makes sense. But at the same time, we must consider the far-reaching implications of conforming to certain standards of beauty, whether that’s erasing wrinkles, getting a nose job or increasing the size of one’s breasts.
It would be interesting to explore the correlation between socioeconomic status and plastic surgery. You stated that, “A lot of my friends who are millennials have already had a boob job or nose job when they were either 16, 18, 19 or 20.” I think this is a fascinating micro-trend and definitely worthy of further exploration, but I’d argue that those getting expensive plastic surgery between 16 and 20–during the same time many struggle to pay for college–are in the minority, and not part of a macro-level social trend.
When I was getting my graduate degree in sociology, we argued a lot about whether or not social structure was “fixed” or if it could be altered—could people really change the way society is organized? I think it’s easy if you’re a millennial (or just a couple years outside that category, like me) to forget the struggles of the women’s or civil rights movements and say that society simply “is the way it is,” but I think that’s a mistake. Society is far more malleable than it appears to be. History shows us that. That being said, it’s not always easy to try and change the system when you have a nose you don’t like or crow’s feet. At the very least, however, we need to entertain the notion that our ideals of beauty are changeable, and we don’t need to buy into a standard of physical attractiveness attainable only by going under the knife.
Bottom line? Every person’s situation is different, and shouldn’t be judged. Instead, we must analyze why we’re so hard on physical appearance—mostly women’s physical appearance—and try to stem the tide of such harsh criticism. This topic should be examined from a variety of perspectives. I hope we continue to do that.
Thanks for your post and for starting this interesting discussion, Gillian.
Sonja, thank you for your comment. I think it will be very interesting to explore the correlation between socioeconomic status and plastic surgery. I plan to do that, so stay tuned. I am eager to dig further into understanding why our society so hard on physical appearance. As far as the micro-social trend of getting plastic surgery and trying to afford, I really beg to differ. In the long run, people tend to do whatever it takes to make themselves feel better – whether it’s buying a dress, lipstick, a new tux.
And Steve, you are making this seem like I am some self-absorbed person who has no clue about morals and the world around me because I live in a “vacuum.” However, I am a smart and educated college graduate with an exceptional job, but I don’t need to justify that to you because we obviously are on different paths in life. Regarding the surgery, I researched, dug deep into this, contemplated whether I wanted it and really thought hard about the “what if’s.” I even joined a support group. I chose to do this because in my profession and in my own state of mind, I wanted to do it. Millennial’s take risks, and I took one. I could of came out with a botched nose, but luckily, I didn’t. Life is too short to pass opportunities by.
I can’t wait to come back with my findings on this topic.
I think Sonja poses some excellent questions to consider and I too agree that research into the relationship between SES and plastic surgery would shed some (desperately needed) light on this issue. After doing a cursory search, I didn’t come across any studies that explicitly tease out the distribution of people opting for plastic surgery set against a backdrop of their class location. However, I would bet that some research in this area is out there somewhere. (If anyone knows of any, please do share it with the rest of us.)
Gillian, I’m sorry that you interpret my posts in that manner. I never said that you lacked intelligence nor education, just that you fail to acknowledge any context outside of your own individualistic perspective. I also never asked you for a justification. That really isn’t important to me, plus you already offered it in your original post.
I look forward to whatever “findings” you decide to offer. However, I expect that your “beg[ging] to differ” with the importance of needing money to pay for surgery is likely to cloud your view. (Indeed, it appears to be a powerful example of your privileged location as well as your apparent delusion that most people are “middle class” who have the money to pay for–or even the time to think about–such expensive and luxurious procedures.) As I have said before, you have the legal right to believe anything you want, but that does not make it true. Hopefully we can continue this conversation in light of empirical evidence…
I love my roman nose. Maybe I’m never gonna be on the cover of Vogue, but my face is my face. I got it from my family and love looking at old pictures to see hints of myself. As a kid I was less convinced, but I’m so glad I never had the resources to go under the knife. I can’t imagine looking like anyone but me, even as imperfect as I am. I worry a bit about people making choices like this so young….I mean, your brain isn’t really capable of understanding consequences until you’re 25…we could end up with an entire generation of identical upturned noses and no sense of identity beyond the superficial layer. Oh well.
For the record, I’m an old fart-y 34.
I liked your post. I don’t think plastic surgery should be banalised but I think it’s easy for people without any self esteem problems because of physical appearances to judge. I think it was brave of you to do what you’d been wanting to do for a long time.
[...] who fully supports cosmetic surgery and who has had a procedure performed. In her post “Dear Plastic Surgery, I love you. Sincerely, Gillian,” she assesses her own procedures and projects how plastic surgery will become more mainstream [...]