When I saw Liv Hewson showing off her double mastectomy scars at the Emmy’s last week, I knew I had to weigh in.
First, I tweeted. But I had more to say—so please click here to check out what I wrote for Human Events.
Leave a comment to let me know what you think!
xo
Amy
I like what you wrote and the distinction you made between the kinds of surgeries, as well as the immorality of Teen Vogue's attempt to promote her double mastectomy to teenagers.
It saddens me that young girls are being manipulated into damaging their bodies for what is I believe in most cases a fad. Unhappy girls (teen vogue's market) think these procedures will alleviate their internal emotional suffering by appearing like/becoming their opposite sex or unsexed "true" selves.
I believe that a significant number of these teen girls who feel wrong inside indeed undergo these surgeries to look like how they feel inside. The intention is to look as ugly as they feel, because ugliness in their opinion is their "true self"
And on top of that they get a twisted boost to their self esteem. 'Aren't you brave to disfigure yourself in such a manner in a society that values "beauty" '
As someone who went through a period of intense self loathing after a traumatic event in my late teens it's exactly how I felt and what I would have undertaken given the opportunity. Instead I indulged in other forms of visible self harm.
No offense to cancer survivors whose mastectomy scars are indeed a badge of resilience.