Wow, the results are impressive!

Last night I spent some time trolling (or should I say wading) around plastic surgery websites looking for some information for my lecture on appearance-related health concerns.  When I was done, I craved a chemical shower with a wire brush (think of Meryl Streep in Silkwood).

Holy shit, these guys (and girls) are selling some serious notions of ideal femininity!  For example, take labiaplasty (which I hadn't heard of until Twisty wrote about it).  Sure, it is likely on the fringe of cosmetic procedures (since liposuction and breast augmentation are the big sellers) but it certainly says something about how the female body should look, down there.  Some feminists (and I would include myself after my search yesterday) note that there is increasing pressure on women to conform to ideals of femininity derived directly from the sex industry with neatly trimmed labia and a brazillian waxed box.  And don't forget the gravity-defying uber-boobs.

Hell, until I started to read about this more, I didn't even know that there were beauty standards I need to consider for my vulva and vagina.  They work fine, don't get in the way, and really, I don't give them much thought.  So why the fuck would I want to willingly have someone mess around with them with a knife and lasers while I'm under anesthetic?  Having my perinenum stitched after the birth of my kids, taught me that lesson, thank you very much.

But I have to admit the results are compelling.  Take this site for example.  Apparently after the surgery I will look like this:

All this from having my labia surgically trimmed!  That's the picture at the top of the "Cosmetic Surgery of the Female Genitalia" page.  Of course with a nifty neat and trim box, I'll be so fuckable that I will of course look like this to all the guys.

Notice on the breast augmentation page, there is no studio-shot picture of a bikini clad headless woman, or even boobs.  What the hell is this man selling anyway?  And why the fuck would women buy it?

Comments

[laura gayle]

Wow. I had no idea that if I had that kind of surgery, I'd magically shed tons of weight, get a tan and be a superficial man magnet. Please.

Or apparantly I don't spend enough time looking at my labia and vagina or examining those of my friends to see who has the prettiest.

Thanks for sharing this. BTW, anyone else notice the boob jobs look pretty much like one (large) size fits all?

[Jenifer]

Wow. I'd heard of that before, but it's really so creepy. Not so far off from the genital mutilation of the muslim world, huh??

[loriz]

What's the message for young women growing up today?

Earlier this year the Globe and Mail did a piece (below the fold on the front page) about those types of procedures that Twisty wrote about!

This makes me mad. Undergoing surgery in order to conform to a (fantastical) beauty standard - and even on parts that we cannot even see! Arg. I'll end my rant here. I'm with you Steph.

[Eva]

I don't even know what to say... as if we weren't all selfconscious before all of this augmentation stuff. It's great that people like you are addressing these issues.

[Christine]

Wow!

All this time I thought my self confidence and self esteem issues were between my ears, that Dr's website says it's between my legs.

I'm so glad we have male doctors to fix me. I'd sure hate for my ugly nether-region to offend anyone.

Oh, wait, I don't walk around naked, spreading my legs for all to see.

This pisses me off so much I just want to scream.

[Stacy]

I'm completely with you on most of that, but I will say that, for a lot of women, the labiaplasty is strictly for comfort reasons. When you have large flaps of skin hanging there, they tend to get in the way and cause a lot of irritation.

However, I am not naive enough to think that's why all women have this done. ;)

[stephanie]

Great. Now I need a hand held mirror.

[Krista Jo]

This is even worse, if that's possible:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=1435521

[M-H]

This stuff is so depressing. And yes, it is very like female genital mutilation (which incidentally is not confined to nor practised in every Muslim culture), with one big and important difference. FGM is done to children and the women who undergo the procedures you are talking about are consenting adults.

[Molly]

Wow. Just wow.

I knew this existed in a sort of hazy way, but I'd never seen photos of it (as if I would search for something like this!). I just don't understand.

[Kathy]

I agree that most of the procedures on those sites are at best frivilous and at worst a sign of the extreme pressure for women in this society to be perfect physically.

There is one on the second page that I had this year and would do again in a heartbeat: breast reduction. Not something you get done to be pretty or thin or perky, but because very large breasts can cause daily pain and discomfort. I actually even breathe better now that I'm not a G cup any longer. The end results aren't that pretty - I have very visible scars that won't really fade - but the freedom of not having such a literal weight on my chest is amazing. In a way, the surgery was really empowering for me on many levels.

[Mandy]

Wow, Steph. 5 minutes at that site and I'm ready to turn in my "Human Race" membership card. Beyond disgusting. Beyond tragic. :(

[Angela]

This is a new low. My husband wants to know when I can get that labiaplasty, rhinoplasty, and hymenoplasty combo scheduled. I wonder if they will give me a discount? Ugh.

[Becky J Thomeczek]

If the surgery is really for us girls then where is the plastic surgery on the penis for...maybe extra appendages for clitoral or g-spot stimulation....Come on ladies what about equal rights here?? I will probably just save my money for more yarn.

[Lora J.]

BRAVO Hun!
Being a 30ish mother of 5 myself I have to agree with you 100%! What the he** does the appearance of our neither-reigions have to do with anything? Obviously with 5 children mine are just fine, oddities and all (which I did NOT realize I had until visiting aove mentioned web sites).
In my opinion we (females) try WAY to hard to comform to what we are "told" is the norm without opening out eyes! All of the female-oriented adds hint that you have to be a size 3, with perkies and "screwable" neither reigions in order to feel 100% desirable or "normal". Well, I agree with you in saying "NO THANK YOU"!

I LOVE myself stretch marks and all! They are my "Badges of womanhood"! And who wants to be the size 3 made of plastic? What example are we setting for our daughters who are watching ALL of this?

Man this just BURNS me UP! Thank you for opening the disscussion Hun, I have a feeling that we will find that 99% of your readers WOULD NOT fall for this crap!

[Noelle]

Dr. Drew was just talking about genital plastic surgery on his tv show tonight. It was pretty creepy. And apparently there is a procedure that "bulks up" the g-spot to make it get hit more easily during sex.

[Miriam]

I have to say... I also didn't know that my vaginal region wasn't up to snuff, because frankly, neither my husband nor myself spend alot of time LOOKING at it! Frankly, it's there to serve a purpose and it doesn't really matter what it looks like. What pisses me off is that you don't see male genital augmentation on there. Because, apparently, a man is perfect just the way he is. GRRR....

[Krista]

Well, I guess I HADN'T heard it all. I never would have imagined. I wonder what my labial would look like all splayed out like that? If they aren't up to par, should I head on in to the nearest doctor??

Funny thing about body shape norms: here in France, it's the smaller breasts that are considered more normal (they like the clothes-hanging-on-the-hanger look, I guess). I can't tell you how many people I've had tell me that I should get a redux after I'm done having all my kids. They tell me that it should be uncomfortable. I'm sure it's more related to their perceptions of what's too big. I'm not about to go under the knife to fulfill others' opinions about what's the right bust size.

I must say, though, that the site you found is far crazier than all that.

[Vicki]

Why would anyone not in the adult entertainment industry want plastic surgery on their vagina? I have definitely had experience with low self-esteem, but I cna't imagine how that would help. At least get something that people can see! Sakes.

[dana]

wow. its incredible that women would want to have this procedure done. you would think that they would be concerned about nerve damage or the possible complications that may arise.

it makes me angry that women are made to feel as though plastic surgery will make them prettier, more self confident, loved...

[knittingnurse]

Well, if you thought that labiaplasty wasn't enough, how about some anal bleaching. Yep, you read it right. Go to http://crappersquarterly.com/features/analbleaching.htm for further information and a few discreet pix.

[Leslie]

Have you seen Marcia's piece on anal bleaching? http://purlsb4swine.blogspot.com/

Ahem!

[Steph]

This anal bleaching thing is too much. Not only does it connect to the porn industry but it also borrow from a practice where dark-skinned women would bleach their skin to look more white. The chemicals used are dangerous and the history of this is a load of patriarchal/racist crap.

Talk about having your head up your ass.

[Jane]

I have a whole slew of stories related to this from my younger women friends (the under 25s). Guys of this age who look at lots of straight porn expect the women they sleep with to be hairless and for their genitals to look a certain way. There is lots of pressure to have a brazilian and you're a freak if you don't. And they won't hesitate to tell you so.

On a light note, after the ice stormin Eastern Ontario a number of years ago, my mother was forced to shower in a Y for the first time in 25 years, not realizing that social mores around pubic hair removal had changed -- imagine her shock!!!

[Erica]

I was just talking to my friends about this last night! They had not heard about this latest abomination. Like most plastic surgery, the only reason I could imagine getting it done if there was some reconstructive (post-mastectomy implants, breast reduction, etc.) purpose. Otherwise, I cannot imagine why anyone would subject themselves to unnecessary surgery.