Billions wasted on cosmetic surgery each year

You say it's sexist but I see ads for penis enlargement surgery and viagra all the time. Besides that, good surgeons tell their patients about the risks inherent in undergoing surgery. I would never opt for surgery myself, but the fact is that surgery can make people look better and most people want to look better. I don't see anything wrong with people spending their own money for a service being offered when all the facts are on the table. There's always something in the news about something going wrong with a surgery or some person that ends up looking like a freak, but people get surgery anyway. It's because they want to look good.

Everyone has the right to look how they want, which is the point of the article. At the moment there is incredible pressure for people, but especially women, to spend huge amounts of money to look a certain way. People are made to feel bad about themselves by advertisers of cosmetics companies, so that they spend this money on beauty products. Plastic surgery is the most extreme example of this and any society that finds this acceptable is not a healthy one.

The owner of the nightclub had, on purpose, advertised the competition in such a way as he felt that "intimating sex was needed to sell Surfers Paradise". http://www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2011/03/31/303781_gold-coast-news.html So regardless of the fine print stating that the actual prize was $10,000 cash, the posters were created and used in order to sell this idea of 'sex' and physical desire, and were directed towards women. After all, it didn't say "Win a Penis Enlargement OR Boob job worth $10,000". The intention was clear, and the sexist nature of the advertisement is evident. So yes, there was definite bias used in this promotion. It is a competition open to both sexes, but was directed towards females through the slogans shown on many of their advertisements. I'm sure the women in the ad freely chose to do it. Women are entitled to the same choices as men, so if they wish to pose half naked for a poster, it is completely their decision and should not be judged for it... and that goes for anything, and for anyone. The point stated about these women was clear.. they were simply posing half naked in order to promote the image of sexual objectification. No one has the right to critisize anyone for their choices, but these women should be well aware of what they are promoting when they enter such a situation. Many things within society, both right and utterly wrong, have been deemed as socially acceptable. The cosmetic surgery industry feeds off of other's insecurities. We are told that we do not look good enough, so we spend thousand of dollars to achieve a goal which, in essence, has no real point or value. I do agree with you though on your point about focusing on shonky surgeons and expanding knowledge on the matter... there is a mention of this within the article. We as a society like to critisize others for their decisions and choices when it does not suit our own beliefs or ideals. That's not right. However those who undergo plastic surgery should not be the victims of stigmatizing or discrimination. Their is a problem when we are constantly faced with pressure, by popular culture and the mainstream media, to "get work done" in order to look and 'feel' attractive. It's not a matter of getting plastic surgery and being content for the rest of your life... this is not and nor will it ever be the case. Each of us, regardless of what we look like, should not be told or pressured to feel inadequate about are appearance. THIS is what this competition symbolizes and this is what mainstream popular media and culture taunts us with. Rather than focusing on individuals who choose to give into these demands and undergo plastic surgery, we need to look at the bigger picture! The cosmetic surgery is literally raking in money by telling you that if you get 'so and so' done, you will be happy with yourself. The idea of physical beauty is something that we have constructed and unfortunately it is the result of so many people's insecurities and psychological complexes today. THAT'S what we should focus on changing. If you eliminate this desire to fulfill a goal of physicial attractiveness which has successfully been conditioned into the majority of people's minds, then the need for cosmetic surgery will hold less and less value. We are a society based around the idea of achieving happiness... and we feel as though we can achieve it through looking good, being rich etc... but that's not the case. We need to wake up. The longer we allow ourselves to be distracted by such meaningless bullsh*t, the longer it will take for us to focus on the truth, and in essence, what really matters. Thanks for your comment though :) I hope this response illustrates some of the issues you raised :)

Kelly Deligiannis is certainly entitled to her opinion on cosmetic surgery and makes a valid point about the media often glamorising procedures. Surgery is serious business and patients should do their research and make sure they are informed about the risks and possible complications. However, I find her final sweeping statements judgemental and anti-feminist. She says: "It is unfortunate that such a substantial amount of money is wasted every year on cosmetic surgery. For this destructive cycle to end, women must be critical of the materialistic and shallow lies promoted by mainstream media, and awaken to what is truly meaningful and valuable." She belittles other women's choices and promotes her own point of view as fact. She has a responsibility as a journalist to report on the facts, or to make sure she clearly states it is her opinion only.

Criticizing what a journalist has to say or their reasons for writing an article is not what this is about. Also may I point out the fact that everyone has a mind of their own, these articles are not shoved down your throat, you choose to read it and you can choose to consider what she's said and take in the facts AND opinions stated. I honestly doubt there is an article on here that doesn't have an opinion of the Journalist somewhere within the article. Opinions are just that. Take it or leave it. I think you are missing the point. We don't choose what we see in the media, we have no control over popular culture. Yes, we can choose to an extent what we wish to absorb, but no matter what when I walk down the street I will still see a billboard of a thin, pretty model showing the latest range of fashion. However we DO have a choice in going under the knife. Being an independent Journalist, Kerry was obviously passionate about this particular issue especially with it's ever growing popularity in the recent years, I can understand that this is a very valid and relevant article. Why on earth would she tackle the "larger" issues (which are usually very controversial) when people anonymously put her down for the relevant things she has written. I, for one have seen and heard about things happening in the world everyday, yes, poverty, yes, homelessness. Injustices happen all around the world everyday. Terrible things are happening and I think that sometimes when you get that saturated with depressing information about the horrid things happening in the world, which to an extent you have no control overyou just become desensitized to the facts and are no longer shocked. I, therefore, think this article was in a way a breath of fresh air. She focused on a topic which seems to have dropped off in terms of media coverage, however is still rising in popularity.