In an article entitled Mommy Wants Her Body Back, Newsweek magazine recently reported that “More older women are getting breast surgery than ever before, in the hopes of reclaiming their pre-pregnancy figures.” But the phenomenon is also growing among younger women, with some parents willing to provide cosmetic surgery as a graduation or prom gift, as Dr. Albert Mohler and a Today’s Christian Woman roundtable have noted.
That reminded me of a concerning story I just heard the other day: a group of women in their 40’s, 50’s, and 60’s chose to pose immodestly for a 2008 calendar whose proceeds would be dedicated to the American Cancer Society. Initially, many of the women were understandably reticent. They had grown children, and a reputation to maintain. But upon consideration, “they ventured out of their comfort zone for a good cause.”
Seems like a twisted, utilitarian exploitation of our culture’s fascination with skin. Men are tacitly (if not overtly) encouraged to objectify women by TV, movies, and images on the Internet. One result is higher levels of image-consciousness (if not anxiety) among women. But it works the other way, too. Showing skin can be, for women, a form of power over men. And that, too, can apparently be extended through mid-life and beyond.
(HT: Collin Hansen)