Do these pants make my labia look fat?
If you weren't completely depressed before this rant...please read on to feel the urge to open not one, but every vein in your arm. As if the plastic boob epidemic were not enough...we now have women going under the knife for designer vaginas (I just read this in the news people). To get their unacceptable and hideously not-right-enough labia and such altered surgically...so, what, it's way easier for the husband du jour to pretend he's poking a porn star or little girl? Are you telling me all the generations of child-bearing women before us of centuries, no eons past, were secret and utter disappointments to their men after childbirth?
Who can we blame for this last bit of soul-destroying insanity? Shall we blame the media? The porn industry, now more mainstream than ever? The plastic surgery industry cashing in on some people's complete self-loathing? Naw...let's place the blame squarely where it really belongs...with ourselves. Our collective sisterhood so weakened by foolishness and fractiousness that we cannot rally the troops or bring more into the fold of common sense, and a brand of feminism that strengthens all of us. Sheesh.
Comments
To be fair, the first time I heard about this - six years or so on Howard Stern, the girl in question was packing some major roast beef after child birth and years of abuse in the porn industry. So I can't really blame someone for wanting to clean things up a bit down there.
Another time, on MTV True Life - a girl felt too insecure to have anyone look at her naked because in her words - they were hanging almost two inches down - So again, if it makes someone more secure with themselves, I say go ahead.
True.
But then again, I don't see anything wrong with guys that grow up uncircumcised and decide to undergo the operation simply because they don't feel comfortable with themselves, even though it's not medically necessary.
Hmm. I am torn with this issue, whilst it is something I can't ever imagine I would want to do, or need to do... I kinda side with Tony (which is a first!!) ;)
I for one am perfectly happy with myself after having birthed naturally twice, and don't see the need to get it "fixed" luckily. But I know a couple of women who are SO self conscious about that area now, after horrific birth experiences etc etc and their lives (never mind sex lives) are on hold because they are too ashamed to let anyone near them. They are shadows of their former self and if they had the money I am pretty sure this would be an option for them. I know one woman who is on a waiting list to have the procedure after she saw her doctor about it, it was that bad!
It is a sad fact that if it wasn't for a surgical option, they don't feel they could live fulfilled lives. If having your vagina or labia surgically "fixed" is the best way for these women, then that's all good as far as I am concerned, providing they are doing it for themselves and for their own self esteem etc etc. I do however think that -some- women take things a little too far when it comes down to "self improvement" and surgery, and their reasons for wanting this procedure are pure vanity. It's a fine line so to speak!
I am a believer in each to their own. But I loved your post all the same. :)
I kinda side with Tony (which is a first!!) ;)
I just marked it down on the calendar.
Like any plastic, or reconstructive surgery - if it's TRULY being done for that person's well being, then I say go for it. If it's done to impress someone else, or simply to fit into what society deems as "pretty" then no - I don't agree with it.
hee-hee...&:o)
The problem is that the well-being of an awful lot of women is dependent on what society/media deems is pretty. :-P
Interestingly enough, in western society up until the 1800's women were little more than baby making machines, who's only role was to pop out a nice male heir. Sex was conducted with as little skin contact as possible. (Often having a sheet with a small hole in it seperating the couple.) And a good husband was a husband that finished quickly.
Should we go back to those times? I hope not. But the larger point you're making is that we are moving into the world of infinite customisation. Don't like your tits, your pussy, your dick, your abs, your car, your house, your man, your child, your eyes, your DNA? ALL CAN BE CHANGED! Is that not true freedom? We can look like whatever we want, and we're happy even though every other aspect of our lives is monitored and controlled in every way. And why should we not be allowed to make our bodies unique and original? It just makes it easier to identify us when we break the laws of the land.
My lips are sealed...
&:o)
( get it??? my LIPS !!!???)
&:o)
IMO true freedom comes in more esoteric ways...but then I don't have a vagina that hangs down past my knees
Lol. Funny how men might be wanting the exact opposite regarding their own genetalia... though one that hangs around my knees might be a bit excessive.
Well if the spam in my trashbin is any indication... we are very susceptable to that kind of foolishness. "Would you like a bigger penis? Where would you like it? I could suggest a few places!"
It's rather the case of procedures being used to diminish difference.
Yes, I'm happy for some poor kid with a harelip to get plastic surgery, but the flip side of the coin is the real bread-and-butter of the trade where people are getting the "right" nose or chin.
And no one gets a nose job or a boob job to add "character."
They've had corrective surgery for gynecological mishaps for a long time.
The new, newsworthy info is having it just to match up with some newly formulated notion of the right look down there.
Definitely give-me-a-fucking-break time.
you are so right. it seems to me that these kinds of surgeries are being done for the sake of conformity (as you so eloquently say) or to fit some whacky ideal of what is acceptable feminity. as if we didn't have enough to deal with what with the hair, makeup, tweezing, waxing, working out etc.
maybe if people [Tony] quit refering to vaginas as "roast beef" others wouldn't be so self-conscious.
and for those girls with a complex, if a guy has a problem with the way you look, you don't need him around. learn to love yourself the way you are.
There are so many things that bother me about this news. For the most part I say do what makes you feel better about yourself, but if you're so hung up on the way your nethers look that you're willing to go under the knife, ...well, I think you've probably lost any sense of perspective. How spoiled are we as a society that we can get cosmetic surgery for our hoohas while there are so many people in serious need in this world that could benefit from, say ...a meal or three? I say quit obsessing about your bits and start worrying about something really important.
cosmetic surgery for our hoohas -- that made me smile. i agree, let's use that money for something worthwhile.
why change something you're not gonna look at anyways? if you get this surgery (like a risque placed tattoo), does that mean you'll start showing it off?
Well I'll chime in on the other side of this. I'm someone who has spent well over 30 years being self-consious about the appearance of my "hooha" - with no childbearing or anything else involved. My lips are just naturally extra large - annoying large (won't go into details to spare the visuals but the "roast beef" comment would be fair).
While I agree that money is better spent on a billion other things, the ONLY reason I've never had surgery to reduce them is because I figured the pain while healing would be far more than I can bear.
Men/magazines had very little to do with my hangups about this - it was all me. There are a billion other ways I'm not "perfect" but, because sex & sexuality are such a huge par of my identity, this is one on which I focused. If men broke up with me - I believed that was part of the reason why - they were just too repulsed - even though they never said any such thing. And, in reality, it was my hangups influncing my sexual activities (wouldn't let guys do anything that brought their line of sight anywhere near that area) and my overall confidence that were the problems. At the same time, I knew one elective medical procedure could alter all of that... just as a nose job or other cosmetic procedures do for other people.
It's only now - in my 40's - that I'm finding that guys don't really care (many are just happy to get access to any hoohah) - some even have appreciation. As a result, my own hangups are lightening a bit. I'm still not happy with how things look - but since I'm no longer 20 and have long given up on any chance of ever looking how I want - in any regard, the appearance of the naughty bigs doesn't seem to matter so much.
and, for the record: It's definitely not women only. I've known at least 2 adult men who've gotten circumcised solely because they felt self-conscious about the appearance of their "naughty bits". I'm one of many women who couldn't care less about that... and can fully appreciate the natural look.
Or spend the money on therapy instead of surgery.
thanks. i was thinking it was very TMI and I shouild ask you to delete it. but then it's also the truth so... I didn't.
we all have our issues. that just happens to be one of mine. one of my HUGE ones... for the pun.
btw: I've taken it as one of my "missions" in life to tell youngster that their pubes go grey too - so they aren't as shocked as I was when it happened. my solution - shave em all off. Though I still wanna try "Betty Beauty" - but just to be silly (still waiting for it to be available in blue).