The societal impact of breast implants

**skippypeanutbutter** · 09-15-2011 08:17 PM

I am opposed to breast implants because of the societal harm it can cause and am looking for some good conversation on this topic. At the outset, however, I want to clarify the difference between cosmetic surgery (which I oppose) and reconstructive surgery (which I support). Just by way of information, I am a male in his later 30’s.

Reconstructive surgery repairs body parts due to illness, accident, and medical abnormalities. As such I support breast reconstructive surgery when women have had a mastectomy or facial surgery if someone is burned or was born disfigured. Again, I support reconstructive surgery. Cosmetic surgery is the augmentation of functioning body parts, such as a woman with smaller breasts that wants larger ones or a man with a perfectly functioning nose who wants a different shaped nose. I oppose cosmetic surgery.

Breast implants are becoming a very common cosmetic surgery. My rationale for opposing them, is that they create a net negative for other women and men in society.

I believe the very act of getting a breast implant is based on a view that female worth is located by breast size. In everyday life, “real” woman have “larger” breasts. As such, women with smaller breasts or women who had mastectomies are then labeled by the masses as “less than.” This in turn, causes them to dislike themselves and question their worth. I think more empahsies should be based on seeing the inner attributes of female worth – such as kindness, intelligences, a strong work ethic, service and so forth. By getting or supporting breasts implants, it send a societal message – usually non-purposeful -- that women with smaller breasts are “less than.”

Further, the underlying ideology behind breast implants is that female worth is based on being a sex objects, more or less, for the male gaze. Sexual objectification is being made into a thing for others’ sexual use, rather than seen as a person with the capacity for independent action and decision making or valued due to other characteristics (e.g., intelligence, hard work ethic, sense of humor). And isn’t the main purpose of having larger breasts is to attract men related to sexual play? Although some women may report that the decision to have cosmetic surgery breast implants was taken independently of pressure from sexual partner, it is impossible to separate women’s choices in this matter from cultural influence, which is primarily pressure from men. The destructive health consequences of the sexual objectification of women are well document by the American Psychological Association . Women treated as sex objects leads to a host other health concerns, such as eating disorders, depression, and so forth.

At the end of the day, though, men, I think more so than women, need to stop sexually objectifying women, so that breast implants surgeries (which is an act of sexually objectifying oneself) can end.

**skippypeanutbutter** · 09-17-2011 03:25 PM

Certainly after 70 views, someone has a reply thought to my post.

**CHANDLERS WISH** · 09-17-2011 03:30 PM

My views are this. Each to their own, we have a right as a woman to make our own decisions about our body, certainly if there is someone in our life, we should communicate our thoughts and have a mutual understanding where ever possible.

I agree that men should stop sexually objectifying women, however, it's also very much a part of the media that causes women to feel little self worth as well..

If a woman feels better within herself and that is her decision to have breast implants, you have an arguement, like I said it's choice, a Woman's choice, her body.

If she choses to do so from being taunted, or too much media hype then yes, that's sad but ultimately she would at the end of it, feel better about herself.

I see and hear of alot of "in-correct" surgery and alot of " I want them out now" situations, or smaller... Like everything in life there are complications and change of mind...

But it's a woman's choice.

**jns** · 09-17-2011 04:07 PM

Economic impact: there are certainly people employed in the manufacturing and implantation of breast implants. There are doctors who decide that is away to make money as well as nurses, assistants, janitors, etc. employed. The water is used by the facilities as well as electricity. Fuels are used in implant transportation. People are employed in advertising. lawyers are retained. Insurance is bought. A myriad of other direct and indirect services as well as materials are used.

Unfortunately for many women, the whole industry is built on their fears of being inadequate. Breast implants do not increase breast milk production or improve it's quality. The only redeeming quality for many is a self-esteem boost. This is to counteract a self-esteem drop that the advertising and celebrities create. Kind of like antivirus companies creating computer viruses in the back room to make their product needed.

I wonder how the doctors reconcile this with doing no harm except as required to create a greater good. Harm is done when the incisions are made and past problems with implants have shown that sometimes the harm is extreme. Since the self-esteem drop is relate in many cases to advertising, maybe the advertising should be banned and views of celebrities cropped so the implants don't show.

**Hopeless Dork** · 09-17-2011 05:00 PM

Breasts are just a drop in the bucket of the things men objectify about women, and women objectify about themselves... why stop there? Why not protest wrinkle creams, lipstick, pantyhose, heels, gym memberships... hairspray, curling irons, eyelash curlers, straightners, eyeshadow.. I could go on adnauseum at the things women do to make themselves 'presentable' in a way that will always fall short of the expectations set by the airbrushed models. Sure, plastic surgery is more drastic, but its just all the other stuff on a larger scale.

I use to be overweight, lost weight and with it , my breast volume - I elected to get breast implants. Sure I could have elected to sag around after working so hard to lose the weight and have ppl love me for me and not perky breasts... but mind you, no one loved me for me when I was fat... and that wasn't what inspired me to lose weight.. and the notion of people liking me for my breasts isn't what inspired me to get implants either.

At the end of the day, women will be judged on their beauty, on maintaining a youthful appearance far more than they will be judged on any other characteristic. Ppl spend millions and billions on porn each year to see hot women, they are not spending a dime to watch videos of women sharing jokes and their opinions on the environment. It is what it is. Tragic but true.

**skippypeanutbutter** · 09-19-2011 07:23 PM

I appreciate the comments, and as Chandler outline, such a conversation is about mutual understanding. I know as a male there are things that I can’t understand about women – but we can at least try to understand gender difference.

Chandler:

I agree and support the view that women should have choice over their bodies. Historically, there is a brutal history of men who control women. I have no disagreement.

However, when women get breast implants, they inadvertently harm other women and the broader concept of femininity. I am sure most (if not all) women who get breast implants (again, related to cosmetic surgery, not reconstructive) get them because they feel “less than” or inadequate. And as other have suggested, this comes from multiple sources – such as Hollywood, the diet industry and advertising. However, I think there is something more powerful than these factors – and that is the day to day comments and observations, such as men who make comments about preferring larger breasts than smaller one (and I have real disdain for such men) and everyday women who get real breast implants and talk about how great they are. And I think its women who are getting more and more cosmetic breast surgeries (and supporting or advocating men) – who are the most powerful factors in spreading a dysfunction and brutal belief that “real women” have “larger/perkier breasts.” The chief signifier of femininity should not be breasts (with this said, I want to make it perfectly clear I enjoy my wife’s breasts, but not related to size, it is related to her personality).

I see the breast implant issue as one that denotes a situation where a group of individuals, each acting in their own individual best interest (e.g., breast implants are a person matter), find that the collective effect of their independently logical actions is actually a societal negative (e.g., reinforcement of a societal norm that “real” women have larger breasts, women are sex objects, and those women with smaller breasts are “less than”). I am looking through a sociological lens and how breast implants affects society. Further, I am not suggesting that women who get breast implants are evil and universally awful– but I am suggesting that they cause harm to other women – especially those with smaller breasts – and are causing harm related to the concept of femininity. I also see men as highly problematic because so many men act like cro-magnum types that actually prefer women with larger breasts.

JNS:

I think you make a good point regarding the question of how do plastic surgeons reconcile their work toward concepts of wellness and health. In medicine there is a real debate regarding women who get implants and there are studies that suggest that women who get implants struggle with more mental health struggles and they view such surgeries as shortcuts to deal with mental health issues (e.g., depression). With this said, I am not suggesting that every women who has breast implants has underlying mental health problems, but there are mental health specialists, including psychiatrists, who have suggested that many purely cosmetic surgeries – such as breast implants – are associated with mental health issues. I think too many plastic surgeons know this, but would still rather make a profit than to by to help patients toward wellness and health.

Hopelee Dork:

Thank you for an honest reply and congrats on losing weight. I think all people should strive toward good health as outlined by the standards of credible health and medical organizations. We may just have an honest disagreement. I agree that many men and women watch porn for the reasons you have outlined, to see hot men and women (which usually are associated with larger breasts and penises). I agree that it is tragic. But where I might disagree is that people can opt out of such lifestyles. By societal standards, I am not some dorky geek that could not find a woman. With that said, I am also not the hottest man in my city. Other than tallness, I think I am above average in most male standards of attraction. But I have opted out of such a life, probable about 20 years ago. I work out, try to stay health, and although physical health is important, I have tried to over look physical attributes and try to see inner qualities as more important, such as a good sense o f humor or people who are kind and thoughtful. You can opt out.

**Little** · 09-19-2011 09:16 PM

Why is a man "less than" for preferring large breasts? I assume because of your allusions to cavemen that you believe this to be so.

Do you also vilify people who prefer small breasts? Who prefer a more intellectual partner? Who have any given preference about their prospective partner? And how is one supposed to choose a partner without some preferences?

It is my experience that men oppose implants and other forms of cosmetic surgery more than women do. It's almost as though they feel swindled if they find a partner has had an augmentation. It's quite limiting to what a woman might hope to achieve with her body and looks. No amount of exercise will change a breast or nose.

Also, I notice the only person who has spoken about the function of breasts is JNS. For all the thought the OP has put into the evils of implants, there is not a word on the possibility of losing lactation function. That's troubling. If a breast is a functional body part and not a sexual object, do your feelings still hold water?

**Hopeless Dork** · 09-19-2011 09:39 PM

I just think that breast implants are of no greater evil to the self esteems of women at large than anything else. From the time we are little girls we are given barbies with impossible to achieve in real life dimensions. We are bombarded with images from magazines, television, internet, movies, billboards of women so beautiful even THEY themselves can't look as good as they are portrayed -- and men buy those images hook line and sinker and will often consider who ever they are with 'less than' because of them.

Breasts are just one facet. If anything is making a difference in how women percieve themselves in a negative way -- I would blame photoshop more than breast implants. I understand where you are coming from but I think breast implants are a symptom of the problem, not the problem itself.

**jns** · 09-19-2011 10:12 PM

Originally Posted by Little

Also, I notice the only person who has spoken about the function of breasts is JNS. For all the thought the OP has put into the evils of implants, there is not a word on the possibility of losing lactation function. That's troubling. If a breast is a functional body part and not a sexual object, do your feelings still hold water?

I think the ability for a woman to feed her baby and to bond with him/her is of inestimable value to most of those who have done just that.

**skippypeanutbutter** · 09-20-2011 01:15 PM

Hopeless Dork:

I agree with you that too many men – probable most (but not all), take the Barbie doll image hook, line and sinker. At the end of the day, I think men are more are more responsible for the Barbie doll body image desire than women and I have taken many men to task for this, both in real life and on internet forums. Men need to be socialized toward seeing female attraction within a broad lens, which includes seeing inner qualities as important and attraction. However, I disagree with your last sentence, breast implants are a paramount factor regarding the sexual objectification of women (or seeing female credibility and worth beginning and ending via sexual attributes). When a woman gets breast implants, it communicates that her worth is located via breast size – regardless of whether it is getting breast implants to look better in a dress, regain what she lost due to breast feeding, controlling men, or to have sexual pleasure with them. It’s all begins and ends within a view that worth is located via breast size and its connection to being a sexual object. That is why I find women who get breast implants as socially harmful to other women – it’s because they reinforce a male disease is seeing female credibility and worth beginning and ending by breast size.

Little:

I do not understand the latter part of your post -- please explain. I think the primary purpose of breasts is feeding and the nurturing that comes through this process.

In regarding to men preferring larger breasts – I think my answers is within what I wrote above. Unlike most personality trains and some body parts, we can actually do thinks to influence them. I now that part of our body image and personality is genetic (and maybe up to 50%) – but we can work at change. For example, I can develop skills toward being a kinder person and there are counselors that can teach skills toward gaining empathy. I can work at increasing my vocabulary. In regard to me body, I can exercise and have some degree of control – but not total – related to weight. But when it comes to breast size, there is nothing a woman can do, other than surgery. That is why men need to see their preference as a low human development stage of thinking, what psychologist would call the impulsive stage of ego development (where a person can’t control impulses and see human behavior based on external reasons). In a more developed stage of ego development, men (and women) can self –evaluate responses and learn to resist impulses. There is a biological theory that men may prefer larger breasts because larger breasts may be a sign of more milk related to feeding a baby – however, only a completely ignorant person would know that larger breast do not produce more milk. If a male was acting out of a really low biological state (a cro-magnum type), and if this same male had a developed ego, he could resist and condition himself away from acting in a very low stage of development. So in summary, when men do prefer larger breasts they literally are acting from a low stage of ego development.

Don’t you think it would be better for men to fall in love with inner attributes and personality traits – such as desiring a women due to her sense of humor, intelligence or kindness and then appreciating her breasts whether they are large, small, jiggle or bouncy; as opposed to desiring a woman with larger breasts?