The Prevalence of Plastic Surgery Among South Korean Women and its Relation to Pop Culture - Essay Example

?Introduction The media in the world has inun d women with an ever-evolving standard of beauty which is getting more and more impossible to attain. What it means to be feminine in society is often equated with an impossibly thin, tall woman with Western features. This is true even in some Asian countries, such as Taiwan and Singapore. South Korea also emphasizes the Western ideal, as it uses Western models to promote glamorous items such as lingerie, and Asian models are used to promote house-cleaning items. The message is that, to attain an ideal, you must look a certain way, and Korean women are increasingly falling into the trap. No longer content to have broad noses, full lips, broad faces and small eyes, Korean women are increasingly getting their noses and eyes Westernized. In the process, they are perpetuating oppression and patriarchy by giving into the feminine ideal set forth by the male-dominated society in which they live, for it is the men who demand the rigid standard of beauty. The Westernized Korean women are also giving up a part of themselves, their identity and the parts of themselves which makes them unique. This essay will explain about the stringent standards of feminine beauty, how plastic surgery plays into this and how Korean women are using plastic surgery to attain Westernized beauty, and why this is so insidious and wrong. The Stringent Standards of Feminine Beauty Bartky (2003) states that femininity is an artifice or an achievement, and she uses the term to contrast with the word “female.” In other words, she states that one is born male or female, but not necessarily masculine or feminine (Bartky, 2003). This point is illustrated by Lorber (1993) who states that women must undergo a battery of tests if they are to compete in the Olympic Games to ensure that the women are “female” enough to compete. This is because some women have a genetic defect in which their chromosomes are ambiguous, and this presumably puts the woman at an advantage to other women in terms of size and strength (Lorber, 1993). This is an extreme case, but it illustrates the point that female and femininity are two different constructs, just as male and masculinity are two different constructs. And Bartky argues that the patriarchal power structure dictates the contours of what it is to be feminine, and that women fall into this trap. For instance, the male-dominated society has deemed that a woman may be considered feminine if her body type is a certain way, and the feminine ideal changes through time. At the time of Lorber's writing, the fashion was for women to be small-breasted, slim-hipped and bordering on emaciated. Because that was the ideal, many women starved themselves to fit this aesthetic. The aesthetic has also popularized magazines that promised to show women how to become thinner, with such titles as “Help Stamp Out Cellulite” and “Fat-Burning Exercise Guide.” Furthermore, there are informal edicts that women must follow in order to be considered feminine. For instance, Lorber talks about how women take up much less personal space then men. When women are on a train, they make themselves as small as possible – legs pressed together, arms at their sides. Meanwhile, men splay their arms and legs as far as possible. Women also need to have supple skin that shows no signs of age, and must be kept up with expensive cremes and electrolysis. Makeup is almost required. All of this is to make the woman more attractive to men, and women feel bad when they fail to conform to the prescribed beauty ideal (Lorber, 1993). Moreover, the feminine ideal has evolved over the years towards an image of ever-unattainable perfection. The past 50 or 60 years has been marked by a changing standard of ideal beauty in society. According to Calabrese et al., the ideal has changed towards a thinner female body type, one that is unattainable by most women. This is seen in Playboy Magazine centerfold models, Miss America pageant winners and fashion models. As stated above, these ideals are impossible for many women to attain, which makes the average woman have dissatisfaction with their body and overall appearance, and poses risks to the female’s mental and physical health. Moreover, there has been a changing ideal of genital appearance, as viewed through pornography websites and the like. Females are increasingly exposed to these images through these websites. However, the pictures of the female genitalia have been increasingly digitally enhanced, rather than naturally occurring, which causes women further despair that their physicality does not match that which is ideal (Calabrese, et al., 2011). Calabrese et al., examined the impact on the evolution of both ideal body types and the depiction of female genitalia on how women think about themselves. They examined Playboy models from 1953 to 2007 to look at these changing ideals. 647 Playboy centerfold models were the subjects of this research. They found that a Barbie-like thinness has become the norm with the Playboy models and that, in fact, the female genitalia in these magazine spreads have been enhanced and perfected. Larger breasts, as displayed on both Barbie and the Playboy models, is another attribute of this new feminine ideal. Because of this changing ideal, Calabrese et al. states that the image of perfection and definition of physical beauty have changed, and what heterosexual men seek in their partners have also changed. Young girls are also affected, in that they gain a warped perception of the ideal female body type with they receive their first Barbie, and this perception of reinforced by these Playboy images (Calabrese et al.., 2011). The emphasis on the feminine ideal has been destructive to women for a variety of reasons. One reason is that women have become objectified, which means that women are seen primarily as objects which exist simply to provide sexual gratification to men, and this comes from a life of suggestions, both from the media and from one's family, that appearance is central to a woman's worth. This leads to eating disorders, which is mainly a female problem, as well as body dissatisfaction (Frederick et al., 2007). This emphasis on exaggerated feminism is made more complicated in Asian countries, where there is more pressure for women to aspire to feminine ideals then in Western countries. This is evident in the magazine advertisements. Frith et al. (2004) notes that the women in Japanese advertisements are mainly showed cooking and doing household chores, and, if she is shown working, it is usually in a feminine role, such as entertainer and actress. China shows their advertising models to be demure, which his another aspect of femininity. In South Korea, the Korean women are reserved for advertisements for household of domestic products, while products which are erotic or risque (such as lingerie) are modeled by Western women. In fact, Western models are favored in Singapore and Taiwan, and Asian women make up only 1% of models in these countries (Frith et al., 2004). The usage of Western models to epitomize sex and beauty in South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan, and the minimization of Asian women in Singapore and Taiwanese advertisements in general, and in sexy and risque ads in South Korea, sends a message to Asian women that the Western look is desirable and ideal. Evans & McConnell (2003) are in concordance with this, as they state that there is a “growing trend among Asian women to be desirous of a body type promoted by western standards of beauty” (Evans & McConnell, 2003). Evans & McConnell further state that this has resulted in eating disorders among Asian women. Their research found that Asians tend to adopt an out-group ideal, which is mainstream, and that White women are considered by Asians to be the most attractive and are to whom they compare themselves and use as relevant social comparisons. When Asian women do not measure up to the mainstream, white ideal, they suffer a loss of self-esteem (Evans & McConnell, 2003). Moreover, Asian women are more likely then Caucasian or Black women to be dissatisfied with their body (Forbes & Frederick, 2008). Asian women also have a harder time maintaining a positive image when they are presented with images of the mainstream ideal, and that Asian women see Whites as being more physically attractive then Asians (Evans & McConnell, 2003). The Culture of Plastic Surgery Thus, Asian women get the message that not only is femininity essential, but Western femininity is the ideal. Meanwhile, shows like Extreme Makeover and the The Swan promote the idea of plastic surgery for women as a way to completely transform one's looks, which gives the Asian woman the idea that this type of transformation is not only possible but ideal. Banet-Weiser and Portwood-Stacer (2006) states that these and other reality television shows are emblematic of the post-feminist. The post-feminist, according to Banet-Weiser and Portwood-Stacer, is a woman who believes in power and freedom of choice, and the primary way that the post-feminist woman displays this freedom and power in her consumption habits and through general consumer culture. In other words, post-feminists choose not to display their freedom of choice and power through traditional means of competing in business and sports, but, rather, flaunting their buying power through conspicuous consumption, and this includes plastic surgery. Moreover, the post-feminist sees the exploitation of one's body and sexuality as another example of female choice, which is the argument that strippers and prostitutes may use when they state that they are feminists because they have power over the men and they are exercising their freedom of choice (Banet-Weiser and Portwood-Stacer, 2006). In examining this post-feminist ideal, Banet-Weiser and Portwood-Stacer (2006) state that plastic surgery is an ultimate expression of this ideal. It provides transformation and empowerment, which are high on the list of priorities for the post-feminist woman. However, on the contrary, feminist writers such as Susan Bordo (2003) and Kathryn Pauly Morgan (1991) state that plastic surgery is the ultimate in kowtowing to the male patriarchy, and is a form of feminine oppression. It is giving in to the patriarchal idea of feminine beauty, and, as such, is a form of surrendering to masculine power (Banet-Weiser & Portwood-Stacer, 2006). Thus, the standards of plastic surgery “have been constructed by men and serve's men's interests” (Gagne & McGaughey, 2002). Moreover, plastic surgery is often seen as a way to correct that which is within – that a woman's life is not fulfilling psychologically, and having plastic surgery is the way to buy this kind of life (Banet-Weiser & Portwood-Stacer, 2006). So, in the extreme, women submit to head-to-toe plastic surgery makeovers in such shows as The Swan, in which women undergo complete body and face plastic surgery makeovers, then compete in a beauty contest among the other “swans;” I Want a Famous Face, in which men and women get plastic surgery in an effort to look more like Brad Pitt or Jennifer Aniston; and Extreme Makeover, the show that started the trend. These people are looking for inner-fulfillment, and as a way to “become oneself.” One woman submits to the Swan makeover because she has a traumatic childhood to overcome; another submits because she felt abandoned. Plastic surgery is seen as the route to not only transform bodies and faces, but self-esteem and psychological scars as well (Banet-Weiser & Portwood-Stacer, 2006). In short, plastic surgery is a way for the women to become a “better you.” The ultimate problem with women seeking plastic surgery is that it is a way to deny one's identity. The body used to be the key to one's identity, as it shows the woman's history, social location and individual biography. In the case of a Korean woman, the body and face are key to who she is – an Asian woman with Asian features. However, because of the popularity and ubiquity of cosmetic surgery, the body is no longer emblematic of identity, but, because it has the ability to be artificially transformed, is really treated as a commodity, argues Gimlin (2000) (Gimlin, 2000). And, in perhaps in the ultimate irony to those women who seek plastic surgery because they want to fix something within themselves, Gimlin (2000) argues that plastic surgery makes one's outward manifestation of self inauthentic. It also opens the woman up to accusations that she is of suspect character, and the fact that she had plastic surgery becomes the ultimate indicator of the woman's identity to the outside world. The plastic surgery “fails to align body and self” (Gimlin, 2000). Thus, the plastic surgery, far from correcting the inner issues, actually brings more issues for the woman to deal with - that she is inauthentic and that her identity is defined by her plastic surgeries. Also ironic is that, even though the outside world may find the women who had undergone plastic surgery to be inauthentic, the woman herself does not see herself in the same light. In fact, some women undergo plastic surgery in an effort to be more authentic, in that she believes that her outside image does not match what is inside, so the plastic surgery is sought for a kind of congruence. For instance, one woman who was small-breasted felt that she was constantly being treated like a child, therefore she had plastic surgery to augment her breasts in an effort to be taken seriously. She was not a child inside, so she got plastic surgery to make her outside match her inside. Another woman got a breast reduction because her large breasts made her feel fat and other people told her that her breasts made her seem “matronly.” The woman did not feel matronly, so she, too, got plastic surgery in an effort to make her outside match her inside, only, instead of breast augmentation she got a breast reduction. Still other women stated that their bodies were not feminine, and they felt feminine inside, so, again, plastic surgery corrects the internal/external congruence (Gagne & McGaughey, 2002). Other reasons cited by Gagne & McGaughey for women getting cosmetic surgery was social acceptance, in that the women wanted to be more attractive to men; a sense of entitlement and power, in that they felt that their plastic surgeries were a way of showing that they had self-determination, and what they did to their bodies was not anybody else's concern; a desire to conform with the media ideal; fashion, in that fashion designers make clothes for women who are size 2 or 4, so plastic surgery is seen as necessary for some women to be able to buy clothes off the rack; and to please other women, as women judge one another, just like men judge women (Gagne & McGaughey, 2002). These reasons are so pervasive in society that even teenage girls have gotten the message that they must conform to a beauty ideal, and plastic surgery among teenagers is booming (Wansbrough). Korean Women and Their Innate Features As Asian women are more pressured to look Western because of their society and the portrayals of beauty through the media, the reality is that Asian women, in particular Korean women, do not naturally have Westernized features. For instance, according to Choe et al. (2006), the nose of a Korean woman, when compared to a Caucasian woman, is wider, with a wider root, wider columella, and wider nasal base. Meanwhile, the nose is shorter, as is the root slope (Choe et al., 2006). The shape of the face is also different, in that more Korean women have a larger portion of their face in the upper third region then do Western women, and a Korean women's middle third portion of her face is larger then her lower third; it is the opposite in Western women. A Korean woman's face is also wider, on average, then a Western woman's face, as is the distance between her eyes. The Korean woman also has thicker lips, on average, then a Western woman, and her eyes are smaller (Choe, 2007). Korean Women, The Beauty Ideal and Plastic Surgery As discussed above, Asian women see the Western ideal as the ideal for which they ascribe, and because Asians look quite a bit different from Westerners, they are more likely then any other ethnic group to have plastic surgery, with 40% of Asian plastic surgery patients asking for eyelid surgery, and another 20% of Asian plastic surgery patients requesting rhinoplasty, such as nasal implants or nasal tip refinements. Thus, Evans and McConnell (2003) note that while “the popular surgeries for Whites do not change their racial makeup...the surgeries for Asians attempt to undo physical features related to race” (Evans & McConnell, 2003). As noted, Korean women look different then do Western women, and this is an inescapable fact. Their noses are broader and shorter then Western women, their faces are broader, their eyes narrower, their lips thicker, their faces proportioned differently, and there is more space between her eyes. The Korean woman therefore is different from the “ideal” which is considered by the Korean woman to be the Caucasian ideal. This is partly because of the collectivist tendencies of Asian people, in that, because Asians see themselves as part of the larger culture, they look to the dominant culture for standards of beauty and cultural norms (Evans & McConnell, 2003). This would seem to be especially pronounced when observing Korean women living in a Western country. However, there is evidence that, even in their home country, the Western look is idealized. They have advertisements which show the Western women to be glamorous and sexy, as the Western women are used to advertise sexy products, while the Korean woman is shown in advertisements doing housework. This gets the message across that beauty, glamour and excitement may only be attained if a woman looks a certain way, and that certain way is Western. Therefore, the woman have to have their eyes done and their noses done to try to attain a semblance of that ideal. The problem is that the Korean women are falling into the trap that all women fall into when they get plastic surgery to try to attain an ideal. The trap is that they are conforming to an idealized image that is being put forth by a patriarchal society, where men decide what the standard of beauty may be. Far from empowering themselves, they are taking cues from the mainstream society about how they should look, and men are the dominant forces behind these beauty cues. In the Western world, the men are the ones who desire larger breasts, so women get larger breasts; the men desire thinner waists, so women either starve themselves or get liposuction; the men desire a certain youthful look, so women get face lifts and nose jobs to conform. In Asia, it is even more insidious, in that the men are apparently desiring a different ethnic look altogether, so Asian women conform. At least in Western countries the women are not encouraged to look like a different ethnicity, therefore a woman's identity is not as marginalized. In Asia, the women are encouraged to look like a different race, and this takes away from her identity as an Asian woman. If a woman gets plastic surgery so that her outside may conform with her inside, as some women have indicated as reasons for getting plastic surgery, then, by an Asian woman getting plastic surgery to transform her into a Western woman on the outside, it stands to reason that her inner identity will change as well, as the outside of a woman reflects her inside. The changing status of beauty has been an insidious thing for women everywhere, as women everywhere see unattainable ideals to which she must aspire. That makes a woman marginalized, as she is giving in to the dominant society's standard of beauty. It also makes a woman inauthentic, as other women view the woman who has had plastic surgery with disdain for essentially “buying” beauty. It is no different for a Korean woman. She is “buying” beauty, and not just Asian beauty but Western beauty, thus giving into the drumbeat of pressure put upon her by the dominant society. Other Asian women no doubt view these women with disdain, particularly Asian women who are secure in their own beauty as an Asian woman. They no doubt see these women who are attempting to become Westernized and wonder why the woman cannot also see herself as a beautiful Asian woman. The Asian woman who gets the surgery may believe that she is more beautiful, but others will simply see her for what she is – self-loathing. In fact, the entire culture of plastic surgery is built upon self-loathing, be it in a Western society or an Asian society. Women are told that they aren't good enough, that her accomplishments mean nothing unless she has the right look. She may be the best mother and wife, and CEO of a company, a graduate of the very best university, and the best friend that anybody can ask for. Yet, if she does not fit the beauty ideal, she feels less-than. This is reinforced by the media, from magazines to television to movies to advertisements. Therefore, she has to get plastic surgery to stop the feeling of inferiority. This was epitomized by the show The Swan. In this show, women who have been through trauma are offered a chance to overcome their demons by receiving plastic surgery, head to toe, along with hair extensions and a full-makeover. The message is that outer beauty is the way to overcome what is wrong inside, and, if a woman can just fix her physical imperfections she may attain mental freedom and empowerment that she desires. Then, the add insult to injury, the show stages a beauty pageant amongst the Swans. As if the woman didn't feel bad enough before, now she has to compete with others in a beauty pageant, thus making her feel even more less-than. Women everywhere should stop buying into the notion that there is one type of beauty, and that is the beauty epitomized by the Western models, especially because this is a beauty that unattainable to most women. Unless a woman is 5'9” and 110 lbs., there is no way that this type of beauty can be replicated. Asian women especially cannot replicate this type of beauty, simply because Asian women are naturally non-Western looking, and that is a fine thing in and of itself. Instead of celebrating her own authenticity, and realizing that beauty may come in all types of different packages, the Asian woman buys into the images that are shown in the media and in advertising, and the message from these sources tells her that she is not good enough. So she get her nose fixed, gets a breast augmentation, gets her eyelids fixed, and, in the process, gives up her identity. And, while she is at it, she perpetuates the oppression and patriarchy of the dominant society. She tells the world, by her willingness to change her appearance, that it is okay that women are oppressed by rigid standards of beauty, and that is okay that these rigid standards of beauty are perpetuated by the male-dominated society. She also makes things bad for other women who do not want to conform to the ideal or do not have the finances to do so. The Americanized Korean woman is essentially telling her Korean sisters that conforming is the right path, which makes these other women feel even further marginalized. Like the large-breasted woman who bought her body, the Americanized Korean woman serves to make other women feel inferior. The solution to this is simple – women need to understand that what is on the outside is not what counts. Maybe that is easier said then done, considering how far society goes to emphasize the ideal. But everybody needs to celebrate who they are, and not pay attention to the media images of who they are supposed to be. These images are impossible, and the women in the magazines no doubt do not resemble their portraits themselves. With the prevalence of air-brushing and photo-techniques, these photos show somebody impossibly perfect. Because that standard of perfection cannot be attained, even by the models themselves, women should not even try. Perhaps, if all women could just accept themselves, “imperfections” and all, society's standard of beauty may change. After all, it has been ever-evolving, and it can evolve again. Asian women may not be 5'9”, with flowing blonde hair, a big blue eyes and an aquiline nose, but they are who they are, and that is pretty beautiful. Conclusion Korean women are spending an increasing amount of money trying to attain the Western ideal. This money is not well-spent, for it perpetuates the patriarchy and oppression and causes the woman to become inauthentic and other women to feel inferior. Everybody should celebrate themselves, however they were created, and not pay attention to the images in the media, for this kind of perfection is not attainable, nor should it be. Sources Used Banet-Weiser, S. & Portwood-Stacer, L. 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"Bodies Under Construction", Teen Comsetic Surgery, Health From Issue #13 http://www.fazeteen.com/issue13/teen_cosmetic_surgery.html A teenage female British girl decided to construct her body. Read More