Masectomy?

When I read the article about the masectomy, I thought it was pretty sad that she didn't that much support. It's kind of like the same thing with gift giving- it's supposed about putting others before yourself, but most people inevitably project their own feelings instead of really considering the other person. Her relatives and everything objected to the surgery because they didn't like the idea of her body being changed so radically. But I mean how is chemo and all of that less destructive to a person than a masectomy? This woman might not even live long enough to experience the things her family wants for her if she doesn't get the surgery. I was glad at least the mother finally agreed with the surgery. Sorry but I just think that phys health should take precedence over body image.

Visibly Queer

When I first started reading this article, I just groaned. Honestly I am not a philosophy buff, and politics and all that is often a lot of doublespeak for me. It wasn't too hard to discern the basic point of the article, though. I thought it was pretty interesting that the interviews revealed a pretty parallel kind of society to our norm. People think that the whole SM thing is deviant and whatever but it's completely normal within their kinds of communities. It just goes to show that it's all relative. Who can say what is or is not normal? It changes with time, place, etc. So basically there is no real solution to reconciling wrong and right within a given society. By the time comprehension dawns upon everyone, everything changes anyway. Still, I guess we've made some pretty good progress. And I just have to say I'm glad I grew up in New York.

Cosmetic Surgery

The difference between body modification and cosmetic surgery can, I guess, be debated. Personally I think that cosmetic surgery is mainly used to bring a person closer to societal standards, and body modification is mainly used to separate a person from those standards. Body modifications like piercings, tattoos etc are seen as a novelty, and not as a normalizing procedure. Perhaps body modifications don't fall under the stipulations of the Hippocratic Oath, but I think that it's still important that the proper care is taken in these kinds of situations. Or hell, let's just attack the root of the problem. Why are people fascinated with getting star implants in their heads? Maybe if we could figure it out, there'd be no need for those kinds of measures. But that of course, hinges on its dependence on societal standards. But if it wasn't constructed around societal ideals, then we'd just have to accept that it's just part of some people's natures, even if we don't understand it. In which case proper care should be distributed to those practices, since it would have nothing to do with social deviance and thus would not affect the Hippocratic Oath. But that won't happen anytime soon. These kinds of matters just expand into so many dimensions of humanity. It becomes not just an individual preference, but a political, social and philosophical matter. So basically all of what I just said really didn't go anywhere. Geez. I don't know if there's any kind of answer to these problems, but I certainly hope I live to see some progress.

Body Image vs Physiological Health

Body image is of course a serious issue. When is history have people not been self conscious about their physical appearance? But then, the perils of obesity and lack of exercise have become an immediate issue today. America has got some serious issues, and obesity is one of them. A majority of the people in the country are obese, and that implies great health risks for the future. Meme Roth makes an important point in that people should be aware of the ways that weight and exercise affect one's health. However, her method of doing so only provokes people because she makes it seem like body image and physiological health are synonymous. It's not surprising that people find it offensive. But let's be honest, she's got a point. If you exercise enough to burn 2000 calories a week, which is about 25 mins of aerobic exercise a day, you cut your risk of heart attack by 66%. That is extremely significant. Socioeconomic status of course also plays a part, but it's not too hard for any one person to take that much time out a week for the sake of one's health. Body image and physiological health are two sides of the same coin. We just have to make sure we present it in a way that acknowledges the risks of body weight and obesity, but is sensitive to and understands the concept of body image and the ideals people are forced to live up to in our society.

Fair Skin

In response to Ali's entry about Indian women rejecting the idea of fair skin, I think she makes a good point. We are constantly striving to be better than we are, but we don't often realize that what we have and are trying to move away from is often coveted by others (and vice versa). We often take for granted the way that we were made, and the way that things naturally came to be. Concerns about health or risk are often overlooked in our search for beauty. It's too bad that such polar opposites can't somehow meet in the middle. But then again that too is an age old dilemma. The middle ground on almost any issue is hard to come by. Just look at the political world. In any case, hopefully people will see past their ideal of physical appearance in time to realize that doing so further imperils their health.

Hair

In pieces like Hairpeace and The Ritual, we're given a look into the African American world of hair. That actually sounded weird when I just wrote it but you know what I mean. It's really the age old story of living up to whatever standard of beauty is dominant at the time. But then I think it's pretty interesting how the two extremes pan out- it's like you're either struggling to live up to those norms, or you're actively rebelling to show that you refuse to do so. I guess it's hard to just step back from an issue as important as beauty and all that, and simply be satisfied with things as they are. I think that's the best way to look at it though. Do your work, and then step back. Getting caught up in rebellion is practically the same measure as pursuing an ideal, just in the opposite direction. Sure, rebellion is supposed to effect change, but I think the most important thing in this case is the self. Once the focus shifts to how people really feel about themselves, and not others' ideas about them, things may improve.