THE BOOBY PRIZE - Women not satisfied with their breast size
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I DON'T KNOW many women who have always been satisfied with their breasts. Like Goldilocks, we usually find them too big or too small, rarely just right.
Then age and gravity take their toll, only making things worse.
No wonder then that in 2006, breast augmentation became the No. 1 cosmetic surgical procedure, up 13 percent in just a year, according to the American Society for Plastic Surgery.
Still, I was taken aback by a recent study that claims to show that women have more self-esteem and sexual satisfaction after breast-enhancement surgery.
You might say - duh, that's why they had the surgery in the first place, isn't it?
In this study, women who had high self-esteem before their surgery
continued to have it post-op. It's women who had low self-esteem who
saw improvement.
It shouldn't be. Women have breast augmentation, or any cosmetic surgery, for a variety of reasons, but mostly to improve their appearance and attractiveness. That is, or should be, different from their self-esteem or sexual satisfaction, which shouldn't depend on their cup size.
I'm guessing that they had the surgery because they felt bad about their bodies. For some women, natural isn't good enough. It's the same poor body image that leads to eating disorders like bulimia and anorexia.
Our culture, from TV to movies to advertising and more, is obsessed
with breasts, so I can understand the urge to have the surgery. Maybe
it's just human nature that makes us want to be more attractive to men,
to enable the propagation of the species.
The message is that we need to work on improving our body image without such extreme measures.
Of course, there are certain benefits, a naturally well-endowed friend of mine acknowledges. She gets especially good service because of what she calls the Hooter Effect. "I never have to change a tire. People let me cut in line and give me free stuff. I even learned to drive stick on a guy's BMW!" she boasted. Another similar-sized pal laughed when she told me, "If I wear a tank top, I have a really good day."
In the same way, women with breast implants may get more attention from men, and that might make them feel better about themselves. But psychologists say there are two components of self-esteem: self-respect, and respect that comes from others. And if women's self-esteem is so high after the surgery, why does hardly anyone (including the author of the study) want to admit to having had it?
A woman shouldn't be judged by her breasts, even if they are, as described in a "Seinfeld" episode, "spec-TAC-ular!" Does looking better make you a better person?
I think not, and have the experience to prove it. When I was a senior in high school, I had my nose fixed, in part because I'd broken it years earlier, in part because that's what a lot of Jewish girls were doing back then.
My classmates, many of whom knew me since kindergarten, acted as if I were a different person with my newly revised appendage. They were friendlier and treated me better. I suddenly became more popular.
I was stunned that a little bit of cartilage could make such a difference. It all seemed so superficial. It didn't improve my sense of self-esteem, but it did change my feelings about the nature of friendship and popularity.
Some women with problems much bigger than their breasts view augmentation as a cure-all that will fix everything wrong with their life. But, says Ann Spector, a Center City psychologist who works with patients who've had augmentation, "The only thing that's going to change is your bra size."
So don't go rushing out to get the surgery because a study says you'll feel better about yourself. Plus, there are always risks with surgery, and it's expensive.
Go for the self-respect part of self-esteem. Puff out your chest with pride - not silicon
About the Author
Deborah Leavy is a public policy consultant who contributes regularly to the Daily News. E-mail her at deborah.opinion@gmail.com.
Source : http://www.philly.com/dailynews/opinion/20070402_Deborah_Leavy___THE_BOOBY_PRIZE.html
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