Posted by:
Brittany Lockie
Kara Marciniak
Marnie Leah
Michelle Langfeldt
THE BIOTECHNOLOGICAL REPRODUCTION OF GENDER
Laparoscopy:
Laparoscopy is defined as a surgery in which a fine, lighted tube is inserted
through an incision in the stomach to view the interior of the abdominal organs
or the female pelvic organs. The reason for laparoscopy is to detect health
problems such as cysts, adhesions, fibroids, and infection.
Mainly, Laparoscopy is a technique used on women's bodies. This is because it
to check for and treat female conditions such as endometriosis, ectopic
pregnancy, or pelvic inflammatory disease. Lapraroscopy can also be used to
repair hiatal and inguinal hernia, see whether cancer has spread, and remove
organs such as the gallblader, appendix, or uterus.
Laproscopy is done by a surgeon or a gynocologist. General Anesthesia is
commonly used
http://www.bchealthguide.org/kbase/topic/medtest/hw231905/descrip.htm
last updated September 26, 2006
Author: Carrie Henley, Jan Nissi, RN, BS
HealthWise
list on blog: http://www.laparoscopy.com/
Computer Tomography:
Computed tomography is an x-ray which takes cross-sectional pictures of interior
areas of the body. The computer can then organize these images into more
detailed pictures of organs, bones, and other tissues
Computed Tomography is a scan which passes over a person who is lying very still
on a table. Sometimes the patient is given a "dye" though the mouth, injected
into a vein, or enema before the x-ray is taken. This can highlight specific
areas to create a clearer picture. The procedure is not painful for the
patient other than the uncomfort from lying still in one position from fifteen
minutes to one hour. Computed tomography takes place in a hospital and does
not require an overnight stay. There are no complications beyond that of a
regular x-ray, and allergic reactions to the contrast dyes.
http://www.cancercare.org.cy/EN/public_information/early_detection/computed_tomology.html
2003, the Cyprus Association of Cancer Patients and Friends
CT SCAN down a human spine: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7HrhBMnQw8
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When a person undergoes a sex change, how does this challenge the notion of ones true gender?
If medical technology can 'turn back the clock', how does this change ones real birth age (ie date of birth)? Will we eventually see a persons date of birth change if, medically, a doctor can turn back the clock?
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Cosmetic surgery and its effects it has on people.
More and more of the youth are getting plastic surgery in hopes to look like
there favorite stars. The numbers rise every year, instead of spending the
money on school, a car, a home, we constantly see teens use there money towards
looking a little more like “Brad Pit”. As this article shows us 335 000 teens
under the age of 18 in the US have gotten cosmetic surgery in 2003 compared to
its 306 000 in 2000.
http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0EPF/is_18_104/ai_n9532759
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How do concepts, preconceived notions of gender and ideas of gender relate to todays culture and how does this effect out visual culture?
-In the reading the ideas of gender and its modification is comparable to that of cosmetic surgery. In today`s world you can change your eyes, nose, cheeks ect, but is the idea and possibility of gender modification just as easy???
-In the culture we live in, we seem so consumed with the idea of control. We like to think of ourselves as in complete control. Plastic surgery seems to be just another example of this.
-In the reading its brought up that in the world of plastic surgery, differences are becoming alike in sameness. Why is this considered to be a good thing? Why is this so popular??
COSMETIC SURGERY AND THE INSCRIPTION OF CULTURAL STANDARDS OF BEAUTY
Human beings are instictually fearful of change. The role of art, like a sense
of humor, is to transition people to adapt to change.
Craftmanship of art is a signifier of quality. Quality, in turn directs the
viewer to value. Human's have always valued good craftmanship, and depend on
decoration which is skin deep to universally understand beauty. This is
because the image or first impression of an object is a language which almost
all of us can in some way understand or form an opinion on.
Art creates models for us to copy appearances. Is it possible that art creates
the ideal? Art displays the ways in which we judge ourselves. Art also
creates things before they even exist.
Art is something that lives beyond our own lives. Could we perhaps be so
attracted to art because it symbolizes an infinite life, and is full of youth
(because it is often changing, and never receding). Art is something that can
also freeze a moment in time that can be an exact representation of the artist
as they want to be remembered. Could art be considered a fountain of youth?
http://www.goines.net/Writing/art_&_beauty.html
1999 David Lance Goines. Last updated November 23, 2003
Women in Art History Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nUDIoN-_Hxs
Women in Film Video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEc4YWICeXk&feature=related
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How are plastic surgeons today affecting our preception of true beauty? Are they responsible for the individuals who are 'addicted' to plastic surgery? In what ways do they set these trends in what is considered 'fashionably beautiful'?
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To see more stars and the results of their surgeries visit
http://www.news.com.au/entertainment/gallery/0,23668,5024972-5007151-20,00.html
For celebrities responses on cosmetic surgery visit
http://www.ivillage.co.uk/newspol/celeb/cfeat/articles/0,,528719_711295,00.html
Find out exactly what they have to say some examples include
Halle Berry, 40
'I do think we've become obsessed with beauty and the fountain of youth and,
personally, I'm really saddened by the way women mutilate their faces today in
search of that. I see women in their thirties getting plastic surgery, pulling
this up, tucking that back. It's a slippery slope - once you start to pull one
thing one way, then you think, "Oh my God, I've got to do the other side." It's
really insane, and I feel sad about what society is doing to women.'
Joan Rivers, 74
'You paint the house and maintain the car, right? Well, I go to my surgeon every
six months and ask for touch-ups.'
Scarlett Johansson, 22
'I definitely believe in plastic surgery. I don't want to be an old hag. There's
no fun in that.'
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-Why is the westernized idea of beauty what it is today? Can we blame our own visual culture? What does this say about us as a society and culture?
-How does our culture accept and deal with the idea of fragmentation, ie; you are your arm, leg, nose. How does this affect us as individuals??
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COSMETIC SURGERY AS TECHNOLOGY OF THE GENDERED BODY
Balsamo suggests in her essay that perhaps the boundary between genders is
eroding. Cross-dressers are persons who take on the characteristics of the
other gender which is not their own. Between the ninteenth and twentieth
centuries cross-dressers would seek help from medical professionals, who
considered it a mental illness. It was not until the 1960's that
cross-dressers began to form support groups, and it became more accepted in
society. Though, to this day, cross-dressers are still considered by many,
including psychiatrists a perverse fetish.
Many believed that cross-dressing was an act to cover up homosexuality.
German physisist, Magnus Hirschfeld coined the term "transvestism" (latin for
cross-dressing) in 1910
Many men say that they cross dress to become more in touch with their feminine
self and to temporarily escape the expected masculine norms. It also brings
erotic pleasure to some men for doing so. Many women say that they cross dress
because they felt a sense of freedom or power, and felt it fit with their way of
life.
Since female cross-dressing is more accepted, not as much research has been done
on this group. Transvestism is becoming more accepted because of the ways in which it is
displayed in popular culture. Films such as "Some Like it Hot", "Tootsie", and
"Mrs. Doubtfire" are examples of this. Yet it is represented in a more comedic
language. On the other hand, films such as "Psycho", and "Silence of the Lambs"
represent cross-dressers as sychopathic serial killers. These interpretations
result in either laughter or fear. The comedic being an "unreal"
representation of transvestism, and horror representing the "real"
transvestism. Unfortunately, neither is a positive symbol.
http://www.glbtq.com/social-sciences/cross_dressing_ssh,2.html
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For what main reasons are men electing to have cosmetic surgery, and why are these reasons kept secret?
There seems to be a trend with men engaging in female body activities. Will this trend only gain momentum, or will we see the opposite take place? Will women engage in male-body activities?
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8 comments:
I think that Western culture puts so much stock in physical beauty is because we've been very fortunate economically and our culture has become comfortable, as well as being a society that lives amongst ever increasing technology and advancements in science.
In terms of Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs, many Westerners generally no longer have to worry about the base needs: Physiological, Safety. But because we are so scientific, we don't really see the worth of the need for self-actualization, what Maslow considers the highest level of needs. I'm not saying that science and advancement is bad at all. it just seems like, as a society, we've given up the idea that humans have a spiritual aspect too.
Because we don't have to worry about the base needs, and we don't consider self-actualization as a real need, we are constantly stuck in a weird limbo where the highest goal is self esteem and belonging. And if that is the most important, then of course we will do whatever it takes to be the most externally beautiful that we can, which is the easiest way to belong.
-Justin T
I find the whole hierarchy of needs concept very interesting. Theoretically, we should now be concerning ourselves with spiritual enlightenment instead of dwelling on our physical appearances. Maybe it's not so much that we don't consider spirituality a need, but that we have been conditioned to believe there are easier ways of meeting that need.
For example, in the video we watched in class, Sharon (the Korean girl who got the eyelid surgery) thought that changing her physical appearance would make her happier. I think we are increasingly convinced that altering our physical bodies can give us some sort of spiritual fulfillment. Repairing our spiritual selves takes much more effort and certainly should not require money. I think it comes down to the fact that there is money to be made in cosmetic surgery and if people are made to believe it can wipe out painful memories and serve our spiritual selves, the more people will pay to get these procedures done. To deal with these issues in ways that will truly repair psychological damage takes much more effort than a couple thousand dollars and a month of bandages.
The amount of youth under 18 that get cosmetic surgery is surprising - I had no idea there were so many teens doing this. I saw an episode of some tv show awhile ago where this girl wanted a breast enlargement, but she was only 16. Women are only considered fully developed by the age of 21, so how can such a surgery be allowed for a 16 year old who is not even finished growing?
Another thing specifically about breast surgery (reduction or enlargement) that is disturbing is the side effects. Because the procedure involves cutting a sensitive area, nerve endings are damaged without the possibility of being repaired. This raises the question of what some women are willing to sacrifice in order to look a certain way - she is willing to sacrifice the pleasures of sensitivity of her own body in order to give members of the opposite sex more pleasure. So who are these surgeries really for and who suffers because of them? (This applies more to enlargement, whereas reductions are often done for medical reasons.)
What struck me as sad in the documentary we watched about Sharon, was that she talked a lot about memories she had of being racially discriminated against when she was younger. When she talked about this, she often cried. It appeared to me that her surgery was her attempt to undo the pain. Yet what was even more sad was that after her surgery she still spoke of the teasing she endured in her youth. Whether or not she has 'more western-looking eyes' she will still be plagued with these memories.
It seems that (as Jen states) plastic surgery is a mask to cover up underlying problems and it does in fact require more effort to repair our 'spiritually damaged self' then it is to go under the knife for a few thousand dollars.
-Michelle L.
You'll be surprised to find out how many people are actually, somewhat, forced to have these kinds of dramatic physical changes just to "fit in".
In certain cultures, you are constantly reminded of the fact that if you aren't visually pleasing to the eyes, you are setting yourself up for failure. Whether it's being left out in school or having difficulties landing a job. For some it's survival.
I'm just really saddened by the fact that some have to live through these types of invisible barriers everyday of their lives.
-Vivian Lee
You'll be surprised to find out how many people are actually, somewhat, forced to have these kinds of dramatic physical changes just to "fit in".
In certain cultures, you are constantly reminded of the fact that if you aren't visually pleasing to the eyes, you are setting yourself up for failure. Whether it's being left out in school or having difficulties landing a job. For some it's survival.
I'm just really saddened by the fact that some have to live through these types of invisible barriers everyday of their lives.
-Vivian Lee
I think that the concept of 'spirituality' has been displaced in order to accomodate a westurn society that is almost entirely concerned with individuality. If spirituality is about respecting the santity of the body you were given, then that concept has scewed to support a slightly different conept of 'being the best you that you can be.". So, considering this some individuals might believe that getting plastic surgery will make them feel better and be able to the best looking, which will boost their self-image which may lead them to think they are happy with themselves and their life.
But ofcourse that is just one of the many reasons that people may choose to get plastic surgery.
I think that the meaning of spirituality has changed dramatically. As previously metioned some people can claim that they don't believe in religion but they still remain spiritual. Where does this spirituality come from? From the self? And if plastic surgery is seen to improve the 'self' then it may be seen as a way to build the self which might strengthen a person's spirituality.
-Melissa Skowron
I think that the trend of men becoming more into female oriented activities has been around for a long time, it's just becoming more acceptable now. And I think that the divide between what women do with their bodies and men do with theirs is growing smaller because there is no need for men and women to be viewed as differently in modern society. Men can do what women can do, and visa versa.
Sydne S.
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