Jamie Reidy comments on a recent high school graduation gift trend: fake boobs.
When I first saw this headline on CNN for KHOU’s story, I wanted to puke. I mean, WTF? What idiotic parents think this is a good idea? This isn’t a Corvette, it’s invasive surgery. What kind of superficial world do we live in?
But then I watched the whole video.
The father seemed sincerely interested in boosting his daughter’s self-esteem. And the surgeon’s view re: high school teasing resonated with me. If a “tan” operation existed in 1988 and my parents would have paid for it, I’d have been under the knife faster than you can say “Casper,” which is a name I heard often in high school. Or “Milk.”
So, I dunno what’s right in this case.
What do you think? Are boob jobs a proper high school graduation gift?
What is the lifespan on implants that big? When shes thirty possibly with kids and a mortgage, will she possibly have to shill out a wad of cash for reconstructive surgery or replacements?
No, this is not an appropriate gift. It’s way too expensive! She she go out, get a job, and earn some new boobs for herself!
(Darn entitled young whippersnappers expecting free cars and boob jobs just for getting through high school….)
Typo: that’s “she SHOULD go out, etc.”
At 16, I would have LOVED to have cosmetic surgery. Lots of it. There were SO many things I hated about myself. My face is reasonably attractive, but not beautiful. It’s too long, my chin is prominent, my nose is pointy, my lips are too thin, and my eyes squint up when I smile. At 16, I would taken my face apart and put back together again to look like, I don’t know, someone a lot different. And that’s just my face! Some lipo and a tummy tuck would have been nice too. When I was done with all that,… Read more »
I hate to say it Sarah, but I would have been right there with you. At 16, given the choice between a Corvette and the ability to change even one thing I didn’t like about my body or face, I would have chosen beauty. A Corvette is just a car, just a possession. Beauty gets you love, choices, sex, friends, happiness, respect, the ability to feel desirable, etc. I don’t think parents should encourage this kind of thinking…This is way too young for such an intrusive procedure and teaches some bad lessons.
I’m 23 and fairly flat chested myself. I don’t believe implants are the answer. I believe we should be reinforcing the fact that a woman’s worth should not be defined by her cup size, and her parents should especially be reinforcing this. I feel that by buying her implants, they are reinforcing (not necessarily consciously) that her worth is related to her cup size.
I get the whole confidence booster thing… in an older woman. If someone’s loosing their youth they might feel they have to regain it with sugery. I don’t think its the sign of a healthy mind, but if they’re still worried about their looks at age 50 or 60 then chances are they’re going to keep thinking about it. But 16? With the possible exception of SRS or serious damage repair, no elective surgery should be done at that age. Think about all the stuff you wanted at 16, then think about the stuff you wanted at 18. Probably changed… Read more »
The world is a bizarre place. This is simply more proof. What can I say? I like boobs. I even like fake boobs though real are generally better. But a woman’s entitled to do whatever she wants with herself, so knock yourself out ladies (and you will, as you won’t be conscious for the operation). But can’t you do something a bit less, ummm, superficial? Read a good book or something? Maybe go dirt biking or fishing or to the spa? People do die doing these things (Kanye’s mom for e.g. (do I have that right?)). Why don’t you jump… Read more »
Personally I think that having parents who pay for plastic surgery just reinforces the lack of self-esteem necessary to get it in the first place. If my parents agreed to pay for me to get some sort of plastic surgery (particularly when I was 18), my first thought wouldn’t have been how awesome they were. My first thought would have been that I really did have whatever physical problem I thought I had. “Oh my breasts really are too small, or my nose is too big, or whatever. It must be true if even my parents see it.” As for… Read more »
I got the sense from the video that this is something that she had wanted to do for a long time and that her parents agreed to pay for it, not so much that the parents offered out of the blue to pay for breast implants. Now, I’d argue they should have tried to talk her out of it or at least played devil’s advocate more than they did. I’d argue that the money would have been better spent on, I don’t know, TUITION or RENT or some silly thing like that. The tightwad in me also thinks maybe she… Read more »
“I got the sense from the video that this is something that she had wanted to do for a long time and that her parents agreed to pay for it, not so much that the parents offered out of the blue to pay for breast implants.” Yeah I didn’t mean it like that. I still think that even if I begged my parents for plastic surgery and they agreed, it’s just reinforcing low self-esteem and placing value on outward appearance. As for the rest…see I’m not against her being getting them from a legal position, or anything. It’s just a… Read more »
Jamie,
Snaps about fair skin have evolved quite a bit since the days of “Casper.” The best one I’ve heard recently is:
“You’re so white you’re the ghost of Tilda Swinton.”
My dried-up old curmudgeon reaction: Youth really is wasted on the young. Do you know how many people, male and female, would kill for a flat stomach like she has? For a tight little butt like that? Good Lord, the glass ain’t just half full, it’s overflowing. 34C — so, you don’t want your male classmates looking into your eyes anymore? …. : – ) But, to be fair, if an adult male wanted to have a sex change and get breast implants, I’d say go right ahead, so I guess I would be a hypocrite for telling her not… Read more »
Evidence that a high school diploma is increasingly meaningless as an indication of success….
I remember being so damn happy at the thought of getting out of that place, I didn’t care how I looked. My self-esteem got a boost just from the idea that I was escaping those people.
I personally don’t feel this is a good move. I think learning to create a better self-image for yourself is more important than getting a surgical operation to do the same, especially in the case of genetic traits. She can make herself happy in her body, so the only variable she would need to change for would be other girls or men. Teasing ends pretty quickly in college, so there’s little need to change NOW for how she was treated in the past. And as for guys, our tastes vary quite a bit. So why leave behind a guy that… Read more »
I dunno, seems like it’s a bit wrong that her dad is the one buying her a pair of jubblies that some other dude is going to get to have a go on. Be like my mum buying me a penis enlargement surgery or viagra, just a bit odd. And probably somewhat difficult to explain to the mrs as well.
I remember any time a girlfriend brought up getting plastic surgery, either now or in the distant future, I immediately broke up with them in my head, reality soon to follow.
Because if you aren’t happy with yourself, how could you possibly be happy with me?