On Thursday Oct. 3, at the Norman Levan Center, Professor Reginald “Reggie” Williams had held the Gadfly Cafés discussion “Gender Pressures & Cosmetic Surgery” amongst students and faculty at BC campus.
The Gadfly Café gives opportunities to talk about social and political issues and conclude and gain insight into other opinions. “The goal of these discussions is to get people from different walks in life to respectfully share a range of opinions,” said Williams. The topic talked about was cosmetic surgery and how many feel the pressure to enhance their given features to fit societies standards, and how difficult the process of surgeries are on a person’s health.
Many debated on how people either use surgery for “reconstructive/medical use” and whether it is “cosmetically needed or not needed”. One student who participated in the discussion points out in how “psychological warfare” is rooted in society to but not enforced on people.
It’s well known that many companies target women to gain money and constantly reinforce the question of if they live up to unnatural expectations. Throughout the years many feel like they must meet the unreachable beauty that most celebrities often represent in today’s media.
Majority of the opinions in the discussion all merged into how surgical procedures for one’s good are not necessary and how those who need surgery for their health are pushed to the side. Some pointed out how many insurance companies often have a complicated process for those who need surgery not for the greater good of looks. Due to cosmetic surgeries many neglect their health and the impact that it will have on the human body.
Some procedures can be life threatening and can lead to other complications in the future. Some may lead to rupture and insurance may or may cover which will lead to more money out of pocket to pay to fix. The more fixing of one’s body can lead to worse health conditions on one life in the future.