Following the articles that Ghanacelebrities.com wrote regarding the death of Claudia Aderotimi (for those of you that are not familiar with the story click here), I have been thinking about what would drive an already beautiful young woman to die in such tragic circumstances. I know that she wanted to be a ‘hip-hop video girl’, but I truly do not believe that this was the only factor that caused her to get cosmetic surgery, ultimately leading to her death.
As a 21-year-old young woman, I am well aware of the pressures faced in contemporary society by both men and women- women more so than men. Not only are we faced with an onslaught of how to make ourselves look younger or better, but our eyes and minds are barraged with images of celebrities who appear to look like Gods and Goddesses, making us disillusioned enough to believe that our bodies will never reach such ‘perfection’.
There are numerous reality television programmes that promise to make us look ’10 years younger’, or feature characters that have been so surgically enhanced that they resemble real-life walking Barbies. Not only do such programmes glamorise body enhancements, but also create an illusion that taking such drastic measures in adjusting what we have been blessed with, is as simple as ABC. What about the endless weeks of pain caused by plastic surgery? How often do they show us that on television or in the other sources of the media? What about the high possibility that something could go extremely wrong?
As I mentioned in one of my previous articles, one significant aspect that we must ensure that we always remember and engrave in our minds is the fact that Photoshop does exist; the celebrities you see in magazines dressed to the nines and looking like the epitomes of perfection do not actually look like that in real life! Beyonce is a 29-year-old woman- do you think she does not have an ounce of cellulite on her? No matter how toned she may be, I bet you that there is something about her that is never made visible to the media audience.
Speaking of Beyonce, just because she has been blessed with a curvy body, it does not mean every woman has to aspire to those standards. Jennifer Lopez, Nicki Minaj (and her fake plastic booty), Kim Kardashian et al are some of the names that constantly top the world’s sexiest lists and are idolized by men all over the globe, but who is to say that we see in magazines or on the television is the actual truth?
Jennifer Lopez has had twins, and if someone told me that she doesn’t have any stretch marks just because you were able to witness this from her magazine bikini pose, I would tell you that moon is made out of cheese, or that the Earth is square.
Being pregnant with one child is enough to leave you with quite a few stretch marks, let alone two; the beauty of airbrushing and Photoshop continue to create such illusions that make us think that celebrities are perfect when they are just as human as you and me, and have their own flaws and insecurities.
As easy as it would be to say that body image issues are caused solely by the media and the images they present to us on a daily basis, I believe that there could be further underlying causes; what about a lack of self-confidence, pressure from our peers, or even being teased about certain features- all these are enough to lead some people to turn to surgery and other routes to try and change their appearance.
According to the ASPS (American Society of Plastic Surgery), more young people are now turning to Cosmetic Surgery now than ever before. Why do you guys think this is?; is it the media, or other factors?
well to me i fink it da media.ask me why?.there re so many slimming piils,cosmetic surgrys, nd soo on circulating our internet nd our tv stations.i was shocked to come across som advert on da internet claimin som doctor bi charges 500euros for boobs surgry nd come nd see ppl asking for the contact of dis so called doctor bcos it cheap.ppl re soo desperate to have bodies like da celebrities it nomore funny.i for instance had to breakup with ma ex cos of som of this thins.he was sooo obsess with big booty anytime we re watchin tv nd he sees a lady with big booty he start to admire her.he calles beyonce his wife becos of her curves.infact i got jealous nd insecure.God didnt blessed me with a big booty but i refuse to let any man born of a woman to drag me into hating ma body hence goin in for a booty or butt surgry.so da media nd som shallow minded men re da cause of all dis problems.least i forget ma current boyfriend is also obsess with flat tummy,we have been goin out for 6months now so imma give him som time if he deosnt change his way of finkin then i go tell him bye bye.
Well spoken
well most guys have secret admirer just like us ladies, for me it is the
singer Andre 3000. its all money, these doctors just want it from us and they use
the media paaaaa
In my opinion i think is not good for our lovely girls should be involve in this type of act.I mean they should be content with what our creator have given them.A word to a wise is enough*
I wouldn’t blame the media for that, its lack of confidence/low self esteem. of course the media is deceiving but what needs to be noted is that, the media is about making “MONEY” .
That’s why we see a whole lot of adverts especially on the internet concerning body enhancement.. And there are lots of them (boobs, butt, tummy, lips, vagina, penis, etc)
But as an individual you are responsible for yourself. i like what inchristalone said….. “but i refuse to let any man born of a woman to drag me into hating ma body hence goin in for a booty or butt surgry” It means she has a high esteem and wont let anybody look down on her or make her do what she dont like.
THE FACT OF THE MATTER IS THAT BODY ENHANCEMENT IS A FORM OF BOOSTING YOUR SELF CONFIDENCE AND UR SELF ESTEEM. WOMEN CRAVE ATTENTION BE THEY IN SHOW BIZ OR NOT. …WHENN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU ACTUALLY ADMIRED A FLAT CHESTERED WOMAN OR A WOMAN WITH NO CURVES…..THE ATTENTION THESE YOUNG LADIES RECIEVE WHEN THEY ARE WELL ENDOWED IS WHAT MOTIVATES THEM TO SEEK ALL THESE AUGMENTATIONS….IT ALSO INCREASES THEIR CHANCES OF SNAGGING A DECENT GUY OR AT LEAST ENTERATAIN OFFERS FROM MEN…..SOCIETY GLORIFIES WOMEN WITH CURVES …CURVY WOMEN GRACE THE COVERS OF MAGAZINES ALL OVER THE GLOBE… WE CANT STOP SNAPPING PICTURES AND WRITING STORIES ABOUT THEM….. FORTUNATELY FOR GHANAIAN WOMAN THEY ARE NATURALLY ENDOWED…ONLY A SMALL PERCENTAGE OF GHANAIAN WOMEN ARE NOT CURVY…IE THE HIPS, THE BUTTOCKS AND THE BOOBS…OFTEN WHERE ARE FOUND LACKING THEY ARE BLESSED IN OTHER PLACES…SO A WOMAN WITH A FLAT BUTTOCKS IS BLESSED WITH VOLUPTIOUS BREAST AND VICE VERSA SO THE NEXT TIME A TOPIC LIKE THAT COMES UP WE OUGHT TO ASK OURSELFS IF WE HAVE ANYTHING TO DO WITH IT DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY.
well i think is lack of confident. i started going to the gym and swimming, my body is really geting toned…my boobs and bum are really coming out with a flat tummy and that makes me feel happier about myself..i dress and go out with full confidence. before when my tummy was big i couldnt wear certain types of cloths but now i can…all i want to to say is women dont need body enhancement..u can get a great body by excercise and eating healthy food. medaase
i think its the media and low self esteem. but the media are making matters worse