Plastic in Provo - The Stepford Image of Mormonism?

[_DarkHelmet]

Here's a more general look at what plastic surgery can mean in the context of LDS culture and doctrine:

"Appearances, the 'Nip, Tuck' Culture, and the Latter-day Saint"

Interesting article. Some highlights I noticed.

justified the ad for breast augmentation by stating that his bishop’s wife recently had implants done. If a bishop’s wife does not have a problem with breast enhancement, this employee argued, neither should my friend.

One blog reader commented that her plastic surgeon was also her stake president, and his assurance during her pre-surgery consultation helped her make a decision to go ahead with her facial surgery.

So not only do the leaders allow it, they seem to be (at least in these examples) encouraging it.

There is nothing inherently wrong about wanting to maintain a good appearance. In fact, Latter-day Saints are repeatedly encouraged to be clean and neat in dress and manner. [36] The For the Strength of Youth pamphlet teaches youth to be modest, appropriate, and to avoid extremes in appearance in order to show respect for our bodies and the Lord. Appearances are important because the Lord wants us to accurately reflect who and what we are on the inside and send the right messages about ourselves to those around us. [37] It is interesting to note that church leaders teach that “how we feel on the inside shows on the outside” [38], while proponents of cosmetic surgery would argue the opposite - that what shows on the outside affects how we feel on the inside. This is consistent with the dichotomy that Ezra Taft Benson notes as the Lord working from the inside out while the world works from the outside in.

Are Mormon women taught that appearances are important more than other women? I find it interesting that they are taught that their outer appearance is a reflection of their inner appearance. Is that why supposedly righteous women have a "glow" to them? So what happens when that "glow" begins to fade with age?

[_schreech]

What exactly do you think a woman with breast implants looks like? You think that by looking at the chests of all the fully dressed (in layers) women at your ward you are going to magically know who has had augmentation?

Of course this issue is greater than the LDS culture. However, it is a complex issue that is relevent to the LDS woman. If LDS women have just as many self-image problems as everyone else than perhaps they are being failed by the church. If they do have more issues, and it is certainly much more complex than self-image, it is something worth looking into.

1 - Stem has stepped up his game and has added "creepy" to the list of adjectives that can describe his defense of the LDS church.

2 - According to the LDS "defenders", you can't suggest that any strange behaviors, insecurities, drug dependencies, depressions, needs for acceptance, financial problems, etc in UTAH has anything to do with the LDS church - that's just crazy...There is no evidence to support any of the claims that the LDS church has any influence on and decisions/thoughts/feelings of people that live in Utah. Get with it :)

[_ludwigm]

The weird world we live in...

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... ds-newsxml

A 'fake doctor' suspected of injecting a woman's bottom with cement, super glue and tyre sealant to give her a more 'shapely' rear has been arrested.

Transgendered woman Oneal Ron Morris, who by his own picture appears to have undergone the 'butt-boosting' procedure himself, is accused of administering the potentially lethal shots to at least one victim.

The 30-year-old, who police say is a man but appears to look like a woman, was detained in Florida yesterday for the alleged incident in May 2010.

. . .

[_moksha]

As counterintuitive as this sounds at first, I think this is a facet of the phenomenon, though a deeply unconscious and massively contradictory reaction, or one of those "allowed rebellions" so familiar to consumer capitalism.

At BYU men can wear colorful ties to express their individuality.

[_Drifting]

What exactly do you think a woman with breast implants looks like? You think that by looking at the chests of all the fully dressed (in layers) women at your ward you are going to magically know who has had augmentation?

Its fairly easy to tell in many cases, Just me. One gal from years ago, I recall, had teenie tiny little boobs. One day out of the blue I ran into here and her boobs had grown four sizes or something. I had no trouble identifying it and we chatted on that matter at some point thereafter. Now, that's not the say I can tell each and every time. That's why I said as far as I know.

If it's 'fairly easy in many cases', you must have many cases where you've fairly easily identified women with breast implants. Were none of these many women with fairly easily identifiable boob jobs in your ward?

Or were you just giving us another of theose damned hypotheticals that you profess to dislike because they're so awkward and difficult to answer?