Body Modification II

Today we continued the discussion on the "Visibly Queer: Body Technologies and Sexual Politics" article. There are many types and each type holds a different meaning for the person. Body modification can range from braces to tattoos to cosmetic surgery. The man who I read about for the assigned group was Bob. He cut himself. The irony is that he works in a mental health hospital. And yet he would scar his skin just to feel different. It really caused him trouble when he was published in a newspaper and his boss saw this. Any normal person would think there's something wrong. A man who works in a mental hospital would be doing this. Eventually he lost his job and now runs a gay sex bar. I think that so many of these "body modifications" are too extreme but ultimately it is that person's own decision. I cannot tell them what they can or cannot do. I can only voice my opinion.

Body Modification

Last week in class we saw the types of body modification in which people install stars and hearts and rings into their skin. I personally think this is weird. In my opinion, I just can't understand why people would do something like this. I guess if someone disagreed with me, they can say the same goes for tattoos. There are a couple of reasons why I am not against tattoos as I am with this. Tattoos can be removable and doesn't involve anything internally. Also I think it's because our generation has grown up seeing tattoos from the media and in our lives. But do people actually find stars bulging out of one's forehead attractive? I understand it has to do with self-expression and all. Up until the reading, I had no idea people actually did that. Again, I think people can do this if they choose to because it's their own body. If people protest and ban this, they should do the same for cosmetic surgery as well. 

Weight Issues

Today in class we viewed an episode of "The Critic" and a clip of MeMe Roth talking about weight issues. The episode of "The Critic" was mainly talking about weight and popularity. The boy was chubby and was an outsider. But once he lost weight, he quickly rose in popularity. The YouTube clip we viewed was more controversial. MeMe Roth started off saying Jordin Sparks was obese and overweight. She also said that when she sees Jordin Sparks, she sees diabetes. I think this is totally outrageous. Who gives her the authority to just accuse Jordin Sparks as being obese? Thin girls can be just as unhealthy has bigger ones. Jordin Sparks was only seventeen at the time and this is when teens are most self-conscious about their bodies. If girls her age sees this, they might be driven to develop eating disorders like anorexia and bulimia. I understand her saying that overweight people leads to health problems, but her tone and way of approaching problems gets me angry. Instead of trying to come up with possible solutions, she makes accusations. Same with the Redbook Magazine issue, she bashes on the magazine and tells people to boycott it. This is not a way to solve problems. 

I think she needs to carefully re-evaluate the way she approaches problems so people would actually take her seriously.

Cosmetic Surgery

Cosmetic surgery is no longer a huge deal compared to, say, ten years ago. I am not for cosmetic surgery and yet I am not against it. I guess it is a person's own choice. I am sick of celebrities getting nose jobs and saying they needed it for a "deviated septum." This most recently happened with Ashley Tisdale. I guess one reason it annoys me is because I don't like her. Some people get it for medical reasons and others get it for personal reasons. I guess if a person has really low self-esteem and is really uncomfortable with his/her body, it's acceptable. But there is a point where it gets out of hand. Some people start off with a nose job and then it's the lips, botox, and cheeks and etcetc. An example of this is a woman nicknamed "catwoman." I don't know her name but I've seen her on entertainment news once in a while. Sometimes one little thing can really make a person more confident and if plastic surgery is the answer then okay. I don't really have a side to take when it comes to this issue.

Response to Danielle's Entry

In Danielle's entry, she talked about how people should be proud of their heritage and I agree. People should not be desperate to change themselves in order to fit in. In class, we watched video clips of Neil Lester, who spoke about his daughter chemically straightening her hair and how it was different with his son. He used the term "virginal hair" to describe his daughter's hair before she straightened it. I also agree with Danielle how this is similar to plastic surgery. Everyone is trying to "fit in" and normalize themselves. If you think about it, this is America, where everyone is different. So what are they trying to "normalize?" There are people of different races, culture, ethnic background. Each person brings something new to the table. I mean I agree that some people want change, like curly haired people would want straight hair and vice versa. But it shouldn't be because of one's culture. Lester also spoke about how Beyonce was like a "Barbie" doll. In her lipstick ad, she was airbrushed to look more like a "tanned white person."

Response to Josh's Entry

So I'm glad that the rough draft for the second essay is done and over with. I don't have to think much about it until I get it back. This essay wasn't entirely too difficult but it was hard focusing on one topic when they all seem to relate to one another. I agree with Josh when he said that he never really thought about what was considered normal. Everyone has a different perception of what is normal and everyones' responses vary. Many people strive to look like the people they see in commercials or advertisements. But for what? Since when are those people labeled normal?