me and fake boobs

fake boobs arent for everyone. for some people it makes them more self confident... for me, i hate my boobs, they are small and they sag. if i had the money to get implants, i may. i think media plays a big role in it too.. i mean you see women on tv with beautiful boobs, then you look at your own and think, well these are saggy, stretch marked etc.. i dont know how to get over that but i just think to each their own kwim? some people want them, others dont. they arent for everyone.

I think I know why you feel this way, but I'm not a therapist, so take what I say with a grain of salt.

I think you put so much of your time and energy into thinking that "natural beauty" is the best (and it is!), and rebelling against a society that thinks unhealthy, fake bodies are beautiful, that when you see someone who had unneeded surgery like that makes you feel powerless, like everything you are fighting for is being slammed against a brick wall.

I really don't think you are passing judgement on these women, because judging by your posts you don't seem to be a judgemental person. I think you are really pissed about what makes these women think they need bigger boobs to be acceptable and pretty. And because you can't thrash against the source, you take it on (in your mind, at least) on the women who fall for their bullshit.

Write letters to magazines advertising cosmetic surgery. If you know someone who is thinking of it, try to be a supportive friend and let him/her know that they are beautiful without it. Try to see these women not as your enemy, but victims of a war.

I'm all about natural beauty and accepting yourself. But when I see or hear of a woman having fake boobs, I don't get mad or upset. I figure it's HER choice and that's what she wants to do, even though I would never do it. I like how NOW is trying to get the FDA to ban it for health reasons, but again it's the woman's choice what she wants to do. Unfortunately this society it's hard to accept how you look. I don't wear make up, anything in my hair, etc... but if a woman wants to it's her choice. I don't pass judgment at all. Same with other types of plastic surgery. I don't agree with it, unless it's medicall necessary - my brother had to had reconstruction on his leg - but again, it's their choice. It's sad how a lot of things don't aim at a woman's natural beauty but tends to aim at how you can make yourself better. Anything from makeup, plastic surgery, botox, getting rid of wrinkles, etc...

I have a friend with fake boobs. In fact, they're pretty darn obvious. She has 3 kids and she's married. The augmentation was strictyl for her own self esteem and for her husband. She's been married more than 10 years and from what I can tell they have a good marriage.
This friend was in my wedding and met many of my other friends and family for the first time. So many people talked to me afterwards and said stuff like 'the girl with the fake boobs is really sweet" in surprise, like fake boobs and a great personality/sense of humor could not go hand-in-hand.

I find it interesting that the "natural" beauty culture finds it acceptable to tattoo, pierce, and die hair, when none of those are natural. I realize that those customs go farther back than boob jobs and have cultural signifigance, but all in all, they are not natural. Who is to say which body modifications are OK and which are not?

Kristin, if you are having a hard time accepting this choice (beyond simply acknowledging its not right for you) maybe examine the modifications that you do find acceptable and why people do them. I think that while some people die their hair, pierce, and tattoo for themselves it can just as well be to fit into certain groups or please other people.

Totally agree with bcpr...I think that while we (those in feminist communities) are totally accustomed to thinking that people get plastic surgery because of societal pressures or whatever else, we need to recognize that tattoos and piercings and other types of modification are extremely similar but don't get the same kind of negative press in feminist circles. I dye my hair to make myself look "better" (in my opinion)...

For what it's worth, I pass judgment on women who go tanning (HELLO THIS IS MINNESOTA, it's not natural to be orange in the winter and it doesn't even look good AND skin cancer is a major risk...I know someone who died of skin cancer from tanning beds) and make fun of them in my head.

Kristin, remind me to link you to something on IAM later that this reminds me of.

good point to bcpr & erika about tattoos and piercings/body modifications. i dyed my hair not to "look better" but because i wanted a change... i don't agree with fake boobs, plastic surgery but i accept it and realize it's the woman's choice...

i want a tattoo and to get a few piercings in fact. i never want to do anything like botox, plastic surgery, etc...

i used to do that all the time, even more when i got down and started reading and being more feminist. but truth be told, everyone does whatever modifications to thier bodies that THEY WANT. and i try to always remember that. they decided what to do, so it must be good for them

It's sad that anyone would want to change themself to fit in, that's worth being upset about.

But just walking by these women you don't know why they did it so becoming upset about it won't help anything. Maybe they regret it, maybe they love it, it's done and overwith.

I also agree with bcpr abou the body mods.

I'm glad I am not the only one who feels this way. I also have a difficult time not being judgemental about women with fake breasts. I simply cannot seem to understand the mentality I suppose. It's a difficult thing to try to understand. Thank you for posting this up.