Shazzer4400 - I too have thought the body mods via surgery we do in this country have a parallel to FGM in other parts of the world. Here women do it to themselves, pressured from without and within to conform to the acceptable female form.

The horrendous FGM done forcibly to girls in Africa and elsewhere is also done to make those girls more acceptable for marriage - again to conform to the idea of what is the acceptable female form.

I don't understand why women fall for this. Maybe it's just me, but I don't think attention from men is worth cutting up my body. And frankly, are the men who prefer this artificiality worth it at all?

Don't get mad with me men - I DO like you! And I know that most men aren't demanding this. But if you ever stared at say, Pam Anderson with her well known fake boobies with admiration - women around you noticed you like fake. It is hard not to notice, you know?

It is easier to get this kind of crap done than to get your tubes tied. I had to go to a psychologist for evaluation before my doctor would consider it! I do know women who have had a lot barbie surgeries and none of them have had to undergo psych eval first!

It is weird.

What you described is what my small mother had after birthing several large children. She lived with prolapsing uterus and bladder problems for years until the docs could repair this kind of damage. Fifteen years of discomfort.

Doesn't sound like you, or my mom, went through all that surgery so that your nethers could look like the lastest picture in XXXHotChicksDotCom. Comfort during normal living is not vanity.

I've a problem when these types of surgeries start to become accepted for vanity reason. I've a problem when images, starting in porn, go mainstream and both women AND men find the artifical image not only more desireable than reality, but more "normal" looking as well. I've a problem when a Pam Anderson is lauded for the beauty of her fake breasts and a Keira Knightley is mocked for the smallness of her natural breasts. I've a problem with the pressure on women to conform to an objectified image.

It worries me that women seem to be increasingly buying into this as well. There must be some pay off to all this expence and discomfort that I just don't recognise.

Uhm . . . isn't the Spears celebubrat a Bush fan?

Funny, the only image I have when I think of Britney and politics in the same thought, is her smacking her gum wide-eyed in Fahrenheit 911, commenting that we should all support Bush no matter what.

There is an amazing diversity in the human body and what it can do and what it can look like.

Look at the 103 pound runner and the 300 pound weight lifter. Both are women. Both are athletes. Both consume about 4000 calories a day.

But the 2 women look so different because their particular bodies have been trained to do what their type can do best.

It has always been my theory that not all people who are seen as "fat" should be blamed for their calory intake. Just as all who are very thin, are not always that way due to eating disorders. Look at those 2 women and see what I mean. Even if they both ate less calories and did not do their sport - the runner would still be thinner, the lifter would still be bigger.

I really liked the photo essay. I would rather see photos of what real people look like. Pretty is fine but I prefer not to have photoshopped or surgically altered images. The human body can be art but all those tricked out bodies make me feel I am looking at the equivalent of a Thomas Kincade painting - pretty but you know you are being played.

I do appreciate the sculpted bodies that athletes get - when they immerse themselves in their sport. The runners, the gymnists, the swimmers - such diversity! These ALL were "doing bodies".

I seems to denote some predatory desparation about it.

The term also denotes a woman who really is only looking for boytoy material. Just sex and other fun stuff. Not really looking to connect on that special personal friendship level.

I guess it seems a derogatory term to me given that the older male seeking young hot stuff for sex and entertainment only makes me think of Hef.

I don't like that behaviour in males so why would I think that behaviour in females is somehow empowering?

Hey, Pinky! I got what you were saying and see nothing wrong in it. We have parents and they are our role models, for better and worse.

You see in your mom one of your possible futures and you have enough understanding to make changes now so that you won't repeat some of the bad habits that harmfully impact your mom's life.

I look to my parents the same way. They have some habits or genetics that are good, some that are harmful. I am trying to keep the good ones and take care the bad ones don't impact me.

It never came across that you were less than loving with your mom, and good for you making the changes you have.

Sorry you were picked on.

I checked the original story. Wow! She thinks looking her age at 25 is something to get botox for? What kind of "partying" is she doing. The article states she is a single mom - was the kid one of the party favours from her previous holiday? I can imagine what she will be doing at 35 just to look her age.

I know a number of young professional women who have jumped on the botox bandwagon. Not due to partying though. Because, you know, when you are pushing 30, it's time for the fear to set in. Only 5 more years before you start to disappear!