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Original poster

Elliot Page undergoes “lifesaving” “top surgery”

459 replies

OnWednesdaysWeWearMink · 25/05/2021 15:41

BBC R1 news beat has just reported that Elliot page has undergone “life saving” “top surgery”.

Here is the related web article: www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-57239448

This reporting perpetuates the narrative that people will commit suicide if they don’t get the right sort of treatment. I find it deeply irresponsible. Does anyone know if Samaritans are tackling this sort of coverage in their media guidelines? I’d hope work is going on behind the scenes as they are a fantastic charity. (I assume they are not captured?)

A double mastectomy is usually lifesaving when it comes to breast cancer... so I find calling an elective cosmetic procedure lifesaving pretty insulting. But that’s just me being petty and not the main point.

OP posts:
CuriousaboutSamphire · 25/05/2021 16:04

@Wannabangbang

It is lifesaving for a trans person. Only on Mn do transphobic people come out for all to see. See. It frequently on these boards.
Your problem there is that facts and statistics in no way back up that statement!

We see a lot of weird, unsupported claims across SM, spouted at government meetings, etc. But we, here, have taken the time to find what the parameters of any study making such claims were and what gold standard, peer reviewed studies have been done.

Many of us have the education and expertise to analyse those studies - and we do!

Faevern · 25/05/2021 16:04

I thought Elliot Page had described it as life changing not life saving. Is the BBC changing the narrative?

KFleming · 25/05/2021 16:00

@IvyTwines2

And it's well worth noting (as some are on Twitter) that while Elliot's nipples can be freely shown on social media sites including the BBC's, those same nipples back when Elliot was Ellen would have been banned.
That was my thought as well. However, I believe Instagram, where the pic was originally posted, does allow mastectomy photos - - their guidance on this references the importance of these pics in raising awareness for breast cancer, however a “raising awareness” argument would still presumably be made for this picture. (Although it should also be noted that women have had mastectomy pictures removed for breaking guidelines even though the guidelines allow them).

I don’t know the BBC’s guidelines though.

QueenOfPain · 25/05/2021 15:59

Why don’t we call lip fillers or Botox or garden variety breast augmentation lifesaving procedures/surgeries? Some of those people might have killed themselves too if they hadn’t been able to correct their perceived aesthetic failings?

It’s totally manipulative to be telling people you’ll kill yourself if you can’t have certain things.

Wannabangbang · 25/05/2021 15:55

It is lifesaving for a trans person. Only on Mn do transphobic people come out for all to see. See. It frequently on these boards.

IvyTwines2 · 25/05/2021 15:54

And it's well worth noting (as some are on Twitter) that while Elliot's nipples can be freely shown on social media sites including the BBC's, those same nipples back when Elliot was Ellen would have been banned.

Original poster
OnWednesdaysWeWearMink · 25/05/2021 15:50

Sorry to hear you went through that and glad they got rid of the bastards before they killed you

OP posts:
Checkingout811 · 25/05/2021 15:47

You’re not being petty. It’s completely inappropriate in this context, in my opinion.
I’m all for Elliott undergoing whatever surgery they choose, but I really don’t think this is the kind of thing that needs to be in the press. It’s so easy for youngsters to get further sucked in when you’ve got this “life changing” surgery available. They don’t seem to realise, or they just don’t want to publicise, that for most youngsters this surgery will be inaccessible due to cost and that is when the suicide rates will soar.

weebarra · 25/05/2021 15:42

I commented on a previous post about this. I had a double mastectomy at 36 to get rid of a cancer which would have killed me. That is lifesaving.

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