Did you know that some people of Asian descent choose to have surgery to make their eyelids "double-fold" instead of "single-fold"? Did you know that there's a new plastic surgery where women can reshape the labia of their vagina? And I'm sure we've all heard of getting bum implants to resemble Jennifer Lopez's fine heinie. This is deplorable.
I realize that the issue of plastic surgery doesn't seem to relate directly to Otterbein students-we barely have enough quarters for laundry, let alone liposuction. But just in case you take your degree, turn it into six figures a year, then decide to splurge on a nose job...let's consider the consequences. What could you do with the thousands of dollars you'd spend on Botox, implants, or "vaginal rejuvenation"? I have some ideas. Instead of getting breast implants, you could donate the money toward breast cancer research. Instead of getting your labia trimmed down, you could help women who are forced to have a similar surgery before they even reach puberty. The process of female genital mutilation still occurs in many countries all over the world; maybe you could donate your money to one of their safe houses. According to the January 2008 issue of "Marie Claire," approximately 140 million women throughout the world have endured this disgusting mutilation-a process much worse than our concept of "vaginal rejuvenation." Why would any woman do this voluntarily? OK, so that's an extreme example of plastic surgery. What about more ordinary procedures, like facelifts or collagen injections? I mean, Goldie Hawn's hot, right?
At the risk of sounding whiny, I have to ask: Why can't we be happy with the way we are? My faith in a Creator God leads me to believe that each person was uniquely crafted. If God wanted to give me a flat chest (mission accomplished), I don't need to stuff myself with silicone. I don't need to tell God, "What you gave me wasn't good enough." Both of my parents have undergone health traumas that permanently changed their appearance. My mom had a pressure cooker explode on her, covering her body with second- and third-degree burns. My dad had a brain tumor the size of a golf ball, requiring a 24-hour surgery to remove. Mom's accident left her with scars on her arms and thighs due to skin grafting. Dad's surgery left half his face paralyzed. They must still find each other attractive, because they've been married almost 30 years. They must not have needed plastic surgery to deem each other valuable. My dad did try to have plastic surgery, though. But he only wanted it for the purpose of being able to smile with both sides of his mouth. His motivation wasn't fear of wrinkles, or fear of rejection, it was the desire to smile. That seems reasonable. The desire to please a partner with bigger boobs or plumper lips is not reasonable. The desire to stave off the process of aging/dying is not reasonable. And while I'm at it-going tanning is not reasonable. Try to be happy with how you naturally look. Don't spend your future income on efforts to look younger. Remember-flat-chested women can sleep on their stomachs, no problem. t&c; SARAH MARTINDELL IS A SENIOR ENGLISH MAJOR AND COLUMNIST FOR THE t&c.;
