"We don't need Afghan-style burquas to disappear as women. We disappear in reverse by revamping and revealing our bodies to meet externally imposed visions of female beauty."
-Robin Gerber, author and motivational speaker.
I really love this quote. It is so true, it makes me wonder: are we truly aware of the effect the body image messages have on us? The images are there, we are bombarded from all over. The message of external unrealistic visions of beauty is being sent. It is the reaction to and effect of the messages and images that worry me. We as women are disappearing by changing our outward appearances to meet an unrealistic idea of beauty. Yes unrealistic, just consider some of the ways we go about obtaining this beauty; the effects of the messages: plastic surgery, starvation, anorexia, bulimia, injections. Sure you might get noticed, but it will be for the wrong reasons making your true self invisible in the end.
We know the images are there and the message is being sent. We also know that the ideal image we see in our visual culture is unrealistic, that real women do not look like that. The awareness is there, or is it? It still effects people on a deeper, unconscious level. Some people give in.
We know the images are there and the message is being sent. We also know that the ideal image we see in our visual culture is unrealistic, that real women do not look like that. The awareness is there, or is it? It still effects people on a deeper, unconscious level. Some people give in.
They go to great heights to obtain "beauty". The rise of the cosmetic/plastic surgery industry is unbelievable! It seems like the a normal thing to do. You can now hear commercials on the radio for local plastic surgeons and see full page ads in magazines for gaunted financing for plastic surgery ...."Doctor's Say Yes!" http://www.doctorssayyes.net/) *image on right is from their website . Television shows like The Swan and Gene Simmons Family Jewels make it appear more acceptable too. Executive Producer Nely Galan said Stiles (winner of show in 2004) worked the hardest and "emerged a gorgeous woman, who I know will be very successful in life." I wonder why she will be successful in life, I sure hope not because of her "better" looks.
The swan goes under the knife- Before and after shot of contestant.
The Swan takes "ugly duckling" contestants and transforms them into "swans" physically, emotionally, and mentally. Women with low self esteem looking to feel good about themselves are disappearing as a team of specialists take over and make decisions controlling how she will look. In opinion article 'Swan' Ugliest Reality Show Yet, David Cross writes:
The Swan takes "ugly duckling" contestants and transforms them into "swans" physically, emotionally, and mentally. Women with low self esteem looking to feel good about themselves are disappearing as a team of specialists take over and make decisions controlling how she will look. In opinion article 'Swan' Ugliest Reality Show Yet, David Cross writes:
Television shows such as "The Swan" and "I Want a Famous Face" inadvertently teach people that it is acceptable to change their body so others will be more happy with the way they look. Every time I've seen a show dealing with cosmetic surgery I always hear the patient say, "I'm doing this so I can feel better about myself." But isn't it true in most cases people undergo the procedures so others will look at them differently and not because a stronger jaw line would help them sleep better at night.
On the Gene Simmons show; here a celebrity gets work done, perhaps to keep their fans satisfied and the tabloids quiet. He and his wife got plastic surgery together. Their children who are in their teens reacted with wonder of what their parents would look like and why they were doing it. When Gene and his wife came home from the hospital in pain and bandages, their daughter broke down in tears of helplessness.Gene with his son, bandages on and after surgery with pockets to capture the draining blood. Yum!
This brings up the issue of how plastic surgery effects children, not to mention your other family, significant other, friends and coworkers. When a parent (or person) is so unhappy with them self and "needs" to get plastic surgery to fix it, what kind of message does this send? It is bad enough when a mother passes on her negative body images and unhealthy eating habits to her children. Again it has become so mainstream that there is a children's book, the first of its kind ever to exist, called: My Beautiful Mommy by Michael Salzhauer M.D.. The book is designed to explain to children what to expect when their mom is getting plastic surgery. On the website he recommends you read it to your children at least three times throughout the process to calm their fears and "help your family sail easily through the plastic surgery experience." I doubt that any plastic surgery experience is easy sailing.
