Today the internet has been buzzing about Renee Zellweger’s plastic surgery. If you check out the photos, she looks like an entirely different person. This flurry of commentary about Miss Zellweger’s transformation has made me think about my own opinions.
The problem is that I swing between disapproving of anything that looks like an attempt to fit the stereotype of the perfect ageless woman, and a genuine belief that people should be able to do whatever the fuck they want with their bodies. If I was so against fooling with nature, I wouldn’t have crowned teeth, corrected vision, piercings and tattoos.
But I draw the line at plastic surgery. See those crows feet around my eyes and that wrinkled neck? I would never try to erase them. The bump on my nose? It’s staying. And my pert full breasts are a genetic freak of nature (thanks biological mum). They are my favourite body part.
As I’ve said before, I believe you need to do whatever gives you genuine pleasure. If having your boobs, or your eyes, or your nose fixed makes you feel beautiful, then you should go for it. It has nothing to do with me — I don’t live inside your skin. But for me, I refuse to have my body and face sliced and diced into alien shapes so I can approximate some impossible ideal of beauty.
Perfection is Annihilation. It paralyzes us from working from the heart. Humans by nature are not perfect and imperfections are what make the world beautiful. ~ Satusuki Shibuya
Sadly for Renee Zellweger, because she works in a field where appearances are important, everyone feels entitled to make a comment on her face. I hope that she had surgery to give her personal pleasure, rather than as desperate defense against growing older and losing her earning potential. But somehow, I’m guessing it’s the latter.
Have you or would you ever have plastic surgery?
Do you feel we have to fight getting older?
Do you have any other body modifications?
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I used my nose as a benchmark – the guy who fell for me would have to love me in spite of it.
And in a world where there is so much hurt and suffering, I absolutely cannot justify money spent on surgery for myself. NoWay. But I’m not happy with my shape, and that’s just a lesson in acceptance that I need to learn, because it only seems to matter to me, most of the time.
It’s these narrow definitions of beauty that annoy me ~ who decided bumpy noses and curved bellies aren’t lovely? I want to punch that person 😉
And you’re right, it seems to matter to us more than anyone else.
Thank you for your wonderful insight as always x
Well I don’t like pain, hence I would not have plastic surgery.
I believe in loving thyself the way you are…. why is beauty measured only skin deep? Beauty is someting that shines from within you to the outside…..
But on the other hand if this is what makes her happy and gives her pleasure as you say it…. I agree with your post here.
Beauty is something that shines from within you to the outside
Yes to this!
Personally, I feel growing old is a privilege that is not bestowed on all of us and fighting it because someone decided that youthful beauty is the standard is just not my cup of tea. We should welcome the years with open arms. Although this is how I feel, I certainly can’t condemn someone for their choices. Beauty comes from within. It shines through your soul not pulled back skin or full lips. In the end I believe it is a choice that is made by someone who is struggling with something internally and if it makes them happy, then so be it.
Wise words Miss Audrey ♥
Hey there, gorgeous. Love this post. I just saw R.Z.’s photos yesterday for the first time and had absolutely no idea who she was! Wow. Shocking transformation.
I’m like you in that I straddle the fence on the subject, but it’s a very fine line between “I hate this **** about my body and I’m going to change it because it’s a quality of life issue” and “I want lips like Angelina and tits like Scarlet Johannson.”
Hey Beth
Let’s straddle the fence together (sounds painful?). Thanks for stopping by x
I used to think that if I could, I would have surgery to correct a number of things I dislike about my appearance. Until the day when I actually had medically necessary surgery on my abdomen (which resulted in them misplacing my belly button and giving me a few extra scars)…that experience was pretty awful, resulted in two near-death moments, and cured me of ever wanting “work” done.
As for poor Renee, I feel as though she has an extra pressure: her face is, quite literally, how she makes her living. So for her, there’s a monetary value in going through that surgery, whether or not she might have done it on her own. She’s yet another victim of our insatiable appetite for entertainment.
A misplaced belly button?? God that sounds horrific. I can see how that would put you off.
Cute picture first of all! I have not had plastic surgery, and probably never will. However, I don’t fault celebs for doing it. We are the ones that put so much pressure on them to be perfect and then they do something like that and we are the ones that are the first to point the finger and say, “poor girl”. I don’t know. To me, a boob job is no different than an eyebrow lift. Your altering what God gave you to work with, right? I love your beautiful blog. It’s my first time stopping by I think (from Bloppies).
Hi Meredith and welcome ♥
I agree that we can’t complain when a celebrity has surgery when our approval of their appearance is the basis of their fame. Thanks for the great comment and support.
I wouldn’t do it, but if someone else wants to fix something that bugs them I don’t begrudge them that. What bothers me is that if an actress doesn’t have plastic surgery, i.e. ages normally and gracefully, she will have trouble finding work. That’s sad. We should be proud of our wrinkles as we age. We earned every one of them.
Actresses have an especially hard time if they are famous because of their youth (like RZ). It seems easier for us to accept those who seem to have always been more mature like Judy Dench and Helen Mirren. Thanks for your comment.
I’m so digging your pictures! They’re lovely.
Yes, I would have cosmetic surgery. I have no plans to have anything done, but if I felt I could have work done that would help me feel better about my appearance, I’m not against it.
So far though..I’m totally cool with the aging process. I don’t even mind my gray anymore.
Thanks Michelle. So far, getting older seems like much more fun than I was lead to believe.