Plastic surgeries
My generation is the one that says “do your thing girl”, “your body your choice.” I think this is one of the best traits my generation has done for the society, supporting people to give autonomy to their body.
Seeing the younger generation embrace their own style and personality brings joy in my heart as someone who grew up in an era where people would judge you for being too out there.
Now that every individual is now starting to love and flaunt the insecurities they used to hide, (like hairy armpits for women, curly hair, dark skin tone, hyperpigmentation for darker people) you would think that we’re starting to see a trend of more diverse type of beauties and are now more accepting of all the types of beauty out there. Technically, we are, but there is a more popular trend of being moulding themselves into a cookie cutter of the more “conventional” beauty. Yes, I am talking about people who go under the knife.
Back when I was younger, talking about your plastic surgeries was a huge taboo. Heck, having one is a huge taboo and no celebrity would admit to it. Now, people are not afraid to say it, and they’re even posting photos of their transformation.
I would like to say, I don’t mind people doing it, but to be honest, since it’s now becoming a common thing, it made me worry about how society has worsen its views on beauty.
We have come to a point where people, mostly women, would pinpoint their insecurities and instead of saying, “I was born this way,” they would answer it with, “Well, I can have it fixed.” Fix what exactly? Your flat Filipino nose is there when you were born. It was there to help you breathe, what fixing did you need exactly?
Your skin, brown as the skin of our ancestors in our tropical land, why did its darkness suddenly became dirt that you now want to get rid of it and whiten it?
In an era where you can say something freely, an opinion like this is hard get out there. People would say why do I care what other people do to their body, or if I’m broke, just say it. Truthfully, it’s not that I am minding others’ business, but I’m thinking of how this would affect future generations of women.
“Don’t judge a book by its cover” is one of the first idioms you’re going to learn as a child, yet, here we are also teaching kids you can actually change your cover so people can judge you better. The funny thing is, that is actually correct.
Looking good means people will give you pretty privilege, and pretty privilege makes you feel good. I can attest to that because I always put on a cute skirt when I want people to be nice to me and offer me things. I get that.
My honest conclusion to this piece is, I will be telling you that get a plastic surgery if it’s affecting your health, your daily life like boob reduction. But then again, one can argue that their confidence also relies on their looks, and them being insecure affects their daily life, so I don’t know which bridge to cross.
Just, if it’s not broken, don’t fix it. If it functions as it supposed to function, let it be. I hope you don’t get caught up trying to keep up with a beauty standard that changes all the time. This is corny as shit, but you are pretty the way you are, if you feel the need to enhance it through the means of permanent surgery, well, think it through.