Plastic surgery and politicians

[MMMarmite]

Hi all, I've only recently started learning about feminism, and would like your insight on this issue.

There's one female politician who i admired, but my opinion of her went down when I read that she'd had plastic surgery. I feel like she shouldn't have given in to pressures to look younger, and that as a role model she's now setting unrealistic standards for other women to aspire to. Am I being unreasonable to judge her for this? Should I be against plastic surgery, or should I be in favour of women choosing whatever they want?

[hconfused]

I don't think it's unreasonable to feel that way about plastic surgery. And on a personal level I reckon I would also feel a bit gutted, because after all it is sad.

But practically, how would it change what you did? Do you mean you wouldn't vote for her, or your admiration is a bit tempered, or what? I'd probably still vote for her for her other good thigns, but would accept I didn't really like this aspect. And I guess a lot depends on what her attitude is towards the surgery - eg., does she think surgery is a great fix, or what?

Illogically maybe, I'd feel differently about someone who tells everyone about her surgery public and publicly supports it, and someone who just did it in private. And I'd feel differently about someone who did it because they think it is normal, and someone who did it because they felt awful and ugly.

I don't know if those are the right ways to feel, btw, just triying to think how it would affect me.

Hi EllaDee

I guess it's more that my admiration is tempered, I just don't see here as a role model anymore. What would be the correct attitude to surgery do you think? She's quite cagey about discussing it in interviews.

Hi (I'm EllaDee, back to my proper name).

I reckon it's fair enough to feel that way.

I don't know if there's a 'correct' attitude to surgery. Do you know why it bothers you? Usually when I'm wondering what a correct stance is it's because I've got some conflicting feelings - is that what you're feeling?

You don't have to form an opinion on what she does with her body if you don't want to, IMO.

I think it is very sad that she chose to let someone cut up her face.

Probably to fit in with a role defined by society/her party. It is not a feminist thing to do.

i am for equality and i get annoyed by even the most subtle things that reduce women. But i have had plastic surgery, not to look good or young, simply because i felt deformed beforehand. Could it be possible that this person also felt deformed or didnt look in the mirror the way they felt inside?
I had a breast enlargement due to dropping 9 cup sizes and all the skin remaining, my breasts used to fall or even jump out of my bra. TBH i hate the attention i get from having them but its better than feeling deformed. At the end of the day , it really shouldnt matter how a person chooses they want to look. It shouldnt take away from thier integrity or who they are.

akin to anorexia.

not really, because i didnt have an obscured view of my body, i didnt "imagine2 that i had freaky ammounts ofr skin...i actually DID have. and i didnt resolve the problem by making myself ill.

sorry "imagine"