Today, my blog is going to be about body image. Yes, I know it’s been done to death but it’s my blog and I’ll write what I like.
In the last week or so, I had a revelation of sorts. It was amazing. I was sitting in my favourite chair; the telly was on, when all of a sudden, vaginal surgery comes on to the screen. Needless to say I was horrified, and proceeded to nearly choke on my crisps. The women featured on the show were creating a patch work quilt, made entirely out of pictures of lady parts. Their aim was to raise awareness of female genital mutilation. Not really sure how a blanket will do that, but good for them. The surgery we had just unwittingly witnessed was considered by the women to be self-mutilation, the destruction of a body part in order to lessen some internal self-hate. Of course it was wrong of these women to want to change what God gave them, and of course we as a society had to discourage women from going to these extremes. We shouldn’t let the media tell us to be unhappy with our bodies, but we should let these women tell us what not to do to it.
The doctors performing the procedures had a different view on the matter. Given that the doctors are paid to do these surgeries, it would have been a bit much to expect any discouragement from them. For some reason however, the host of the show was shocked to hear the doctors telling them to just accept that this is what girls want to do to themselves. Well, why should the doctors take the pulpit? They don’t go out handing out leaflets for the procedures, do they?
If you want me to come to a dazzling conclusion, telling the world that surgery is wrong and all plastic surgeons should be burnt at the stake, stop reading now. That isn’t my conclusion. I do not see surgery encouraged in general society. In fact, if someone has excessive surgery, they are treated as an outsider, their different alterations overshadowing all that they do. I have never come across a situation in which I was told “you know, you should really get that done.”
Why is it that whenever we see plastic surgery on the television, no one has ever decided to get it out of their own free will? There is always someone else to blame for the procedure being done.
Scapegoats for a woman’s bad body image:
1: The pretty women in the media. If products used ugly women in their adverts no one would buy it. Advertising doesn’t mould society, it simply responds to what we want to see. Stop responding the beautiful people and adverts won’t use them anymore.
2: Porn. If you don’t like it don’t watch it. Seriously, who watches porn and thinks ‘I wish my lady parts looked like that. I might go and get surgery now.’
3: Men. If a woman doesn’t like the way she looks, you can guarantee that someone, somewhere, will blame a man for it. If you stay with a man who makes you feel ugly, it’s safe to say you already had self-esteem issues.
My overall point is not that the media needs to use ugly people in their adverts. Advertising creates jobs, and gives boosts to industries that need it. My overall point is not that porn needs to be stopped before all our children want to look like porn stars. There will always be porn, because there will always be people who want to see it. The anonymity of the internet means that there’s no point trying to shame people out of it, so my advice to those offended is, stay away from it. There, simple.
My overall point is that if you have self-esteem issues, the only one who can change that is you. It’s all very well blaming anything and everything, but only you can change what’s happening inside your head. Surrounding yourself with positive things can help you do this, but it is still down to you to make sure this happens. So stop blaming everyone for body hang ups, and start doing something about them.
I’m happy with my body. Haven’t always been, and probably won’t stay happy forever. However I feel, I know that I will never resort to chopping bits off, and adding bit on. As long as that’s the case, I know I’m fine.
