Plastic Surgery?
 

Throughout history Blacks have had to deal with being ridiculed for our physical features-hair, noses, skin color, hair texture, etc. Many Blacks have turned towards plastic surgery to enhance their appearance. What do you think about this? Does it suggest their acceptance of white standards of beauty?

i don't believe that they are giving into "white standards of beauty" so much as they are allowing their self-hatred to manifest itself. i, for one, believe that plastic surgery is the most horrible and paradoxical form of self-mutilation, self-hatred and vanity.

i think that you should do whatever makes YOU feel up to par...an acceptance of "white" standards of beauty??? i don't know...but i do know that people are thickening their lips...enlarging their breasts...curling their hair...and the like...those aren't ideals of beauty originating within "white" culture...so essentially...no...i don't think by doing so a black woman is giving into a white ideal...nor is she exhibiting self-hatred...but in fact an appreciation for beauty...now if you aren't confident in yourself...no amount of enhancement, be it through surgery or through cosmetic application, is going to fill any voids you have within...



[This message has been edited by CelestialBlu1 (edited July 26, 2001).]

I do not see ny thing wrong with plastic surgury that is more corrective of health problems/medical conditions- skin laser resurfacing, breast reduction, breast reconstruction after mastectomy, etc. I do wonder about other types of surgury- breast implants, butt implants, nose jobs, etc. I do not see this as an appreciation of beauty. I do not think beauty is that narrowly defined that the patients were not beautiful before the work. I also think there is a difference between surgury aimed at trying to counter act agng and those about truly changing how you look. The aging stuff is vein but some of the recipients of the other surgury are pathalogical. They had a deepp seeded dislike for thie own form. That is something different to me. And those who become platic surgury junkies having procedure after procedure are really out of control. I do think some of it is a manifestation of self loahing, not necessarily on the basis of race r eing damaged by a white standard of beauty.

Many PEOPLE, more specifically WOMEN, turn toward plastic surgery to enhance their appearance. I would think that most people are unsatisfied with their appearance, for whatever reason. The real issue is how they deal with it. I would love to have thinner thighs and stomach, smaller nose, etc. etc. However, I also think I look beautiful just as I am, and would never think to change a thing. I don't think I would have a better job, better boyfriend, better life, better friends as a result of any cosmetic changes. However, many people think they will have better everything as soon as they get those pesky flaws fixed. Most of us know that will not be the case.