Can we talk about this lip filler fashion

[squirreltrap]

I'm just wondering if there is some feminist analysis for the current fashion for lip fillers. I don't want to slate the women who are doing it, just understand what the hell its all about!

My thoughts on it are:

• it must be porn related?
• are they designed to look like labia on your face?
• it seems to be some obvious expression of sexual availability?
• I've never spoken to a man who finds it attractive so that's confusing
• it seems to make women look 'vulnerable' and low in self-esteem somehow, is that what is attractive? (Reminds me of the old feminist arguement about high heels being attractive because they render women unable to defend themselves I.e. Run away)

What's everyone else's view on this?

(And it is a feminist issue because it's women doing it to themselves)

If a woman decides to enhance her body in an artificial way then how on earth does that impact upon their opportunity to be treated as an equal?

Of course not including this feminist board where posters are deciding that being free to decide what happens to your own body means you cannot possibly be a feminist!!!

Eh? I'm a feminist and have been all my adult life. I am getting my lips done next month. Because I feel my lips are to small and would like them bigger. I am not doing this for any male approval and actually my husband does not want me to have it done, but I do. And it's my body my choice.

It's the choice that is being considered not feminist, not the woman herself. Women can clearly be feminists but sometimes make non-feminist choices.

Exactly. Sorry if I didn't make that clear. I shave my legs and wear make up. I'm a feminist, the choice isn't.

I keep seeing "suggested posts" on fb about such things. Imo they look horrible and totally unnatural.

Well hardy we must not want to look nice for each other?! That would clearly breach the codes for being in the feminist movement

It's a very interesting one. We are in a position where we want to attract a mate. Making yourself more appealing to the opposite sex is all part of it.

It's not an answer that I can easily give, even to myself.

Is it the difference between admiration and objectification?

So if you are colluding with the objectification of women, that might include breast enhancement.

But having clean, well brushed, shiny hair doesn't?

Objectification means seeing women as walking sex objects. Not, walking attractive people.

It's not judgmental or unreasonable to discuss the reasons for the popularity of a particular current trend in women's appearance. Maybe the reasons are nothing to do with sexism/misogyny/the male gaze, maybe they are very much linked to that. I think it's fine to discuss it without interpreting the discussion as a judgement on women who do this.

Datun "Exactly. Sorry if I didn't make that clear. I shave my legs and wear make up. I'm a feminist, the choice isn't."

I thought you are a man? Or am I making an assumption about whether men wear make up and shave?

However, that makes it sound like it's anti-feminist?

^How patronising!

Are you jealous?

Why would anyone be jealous of a cosmetic procedure??

you'd just get it done wouldn't you? They weren't born that way, that's the point of the thread.

I'm sure it's totally unrelated to porn despite basically all women in the sex industry and glamour models having it done.

You can be a feminist and make unfeminist choices.

I suspect most of us do. It's the best way to get on in patriarchal societies.

But we should surely at least ask ourselves the question? Own it when it's happening.

If we're not willing to ask ourselves any questions then we might as well not have brains.

Yes, larger lips are supposed to represent engorged labia, hence wearing lip colours that make your lips appear larger

This gets said often. It sounds complete tosh.Lips with lipstick look nothing like labia.

It's a very interesting one. We are in a position where we want to attract a mate. Making yourself more appealing to the opposite sex is all part of it

Or even the same sex

I'd say ^as with my blow up dolls on my pp that while men may or may not be specifically thinking 'engorged labia' they're definitely thinking 'place I can put my penis'

"Dsl" or dick sucking lips was a common term when I was in school

Making choices that aren't necessarily feminist in nature doesn't negate your feminism.

Analysing the social structures in which those choices are made is not judgement.

Asking if someone is jealous of your cosmetic surgery because they've dared to want to discuss cosmetic surgery within a feminist framework makes you look a little defensive and weird.

I'll get abuse hurled at me for this but I have a lot of black friends and they believe that lip fillers, bum implants etc are more to emulate black womens beauty more than anything else. I'm not too sure where I stand on that but it might be more so white females in particular find black females more attractive than themselves. I think there is more chance of this being possible than to look like porn stars.

I'm sure the Kardashians are responsible for the bum filler trend!

It's always amazes me as one thing that is used to diminish on race groups beauty is now used to enhance anther dictating more powerful race as sign of youth.
Black people where mocked for having big lips and bums. A lot of them are still mocked these days and yet it has become a thing now of beauty and a trend.

With the red lips, there is a lot of black people who will never be caught dead wearing red lipstick because of the connotation it has within the black community (black Americans). The darker you are the more taboo it is to wear red lipstick because of colourism.

So what would be a feminist choice in how to look?

Presumably if I'm wearing more natural looking, pink lipstick then I'm still going for a hint of labia lips.

quencher

With the red lips, there is a lot of black people who will never be caught dead wearing red lipstick because of the connotation it has within the black community (black Americans). The darker you are the more taboo it is to wear red lipstick because of colourism.

Could you explain that more? I've tried googling it, but all I am getting is make up tips!

I think that the accusation of cultural appropriation has been made towards Kim Kardashian in the past, I'm sure I've read. The Grace Jones photo redo being one of them I think.

Black women's lips and backsides do tend to be quite lovely. I'm a straight white female but when I see a big shapely bottom I do get a bit of bum envy (not you Kim K).

One of my first boyfriends had huge shapely lips. They are gorgeous.

My daughter's hairdresser has her lips filled. They are huge but they go with her face and aren't at all trouty. I get mesmerised by them when she speaks.

Each to their own.

Also Kylie Jenner, has been pulled up for cultural appropriation for braids/lips/bum even her fashion and the fact she done a photoshoot that pretty much skimmed 'black face'.

I'm surprised at the number of people taking umbridge simply at the discussion of the roots or symbolism of this.

Are they jealous?

So if someone discuss a subject can they not be deemed jealous?

If it was let's discuss lip fillers.......fair enough but the post wasn't as straightforward as that. It appeared scathing!

Discussing patterns and trends and their relationship with/to feminism?

Yawn - I'm out

a hint of labia lips.

Mac has obviously missed a trick in their lipstick naming department. I shall be writing to them.