Cancer Free at 33, but Weighing a Mastectomy

This article was so moving i was about to cry at the end of it. It's incredibly upsetting that this woman had to learn about her dangerously high risk of developing breast cancer while she's at such a young age. The anxiety it puts her through is devastating. While many people would see the availability of a DNA test so that she can take preventative measures as a positive thing, I can see it as incredibly tearing. It would be so hard to know the fate of your health and not take action on it, but when that action is extremely drastic, it's just as tough to make a move as it is not to. It's a huge gambling game. She struggled with this decision, and turned to her family to help, all of whom weren't particularly supportive. The main reason she struggled with the decision to prevent breast cancer or not, is because it meant a mastectomy, which means removing her breasts, and although she could get implants (reconstructive surgery) it wouldn't be the same. She would look different, feel different, and no longer would she have the option to breast feed. So in a way, this is a form of body modificaiton, but for a very different reason than in our previously discussed articles. Those people modified their bodies to look different in order to stand out, when all this woman wants to is remain healthy so that she can have children, and raise a happy, healthy family. She's actually the opposite of them in the way that she would much rather not have to modify her body, but feels complied to do so in order to maintain her future health.

"Mark and Shawn: Flagrantly Queer"

This part of the essay talks about a couple of two gay males, who are very interested in body modification. They own a body modification shop together to help other people obtain similar experiences to those that are very significant to them. Mark and Shawn believe that body modification is a very intimate, symbolic ritual. I feel like i keep learning more and more from these essays that we read... Mark and Shawn are into piercings, brandings, tattoos, and they each have extenders in their ears. They do these things to be different, and to display a part of themselves to the community. I guess some people have very different motives when they take part in body modification. I never really realized it was such a big experience and such a big part of some peoples' lives. At one point in the interview Mark talks about how it's even an emotional experience, and how they do it surrounded by lots of people who care about them. Because of this significance, Mark also talks about his disapproval of frats taking part in activities such as branding. I can see how if this is such an important experience for him that it can be frustrating or even upsetting to see college kids participating in this ritual which for them has no real significance beyond a hazing activity. When these students walk around with brandings that mean nothing, this inadvertently decreases the significance of their personal body modifications, which mean much, much more. They no longer seem any different because it becomes a common practice, just like piercing your ears is. Everyone has it, so their purpose is now completely defeated.

"Body Artists Customize your Flesh?"

This is an interesting subject to read about. I guess just how there are people who like having a lot of piercings or tattoos on their body, there are people who like to have implanted shapes. This is an odd idea to me, but I like to try to respect other people's personal decisions that they've made for various reasons if not just to be different. However, the medical aspect that is discussed in this article is worrying to me. Changing your looks on the outside when it puts you at a large risk for permanent deformity or infection, it's just not worth it. People making this decision need to make sure they're going to a certified medical doctor who knows what they're doing, and the people attempting these procedures should have malpractice insurance and be in a safe, sterile environment that will provide the best scenario for their patients. It's disrespectful to those who you're working with as well as your family and friends to disregard your own safety and wellbeing, because many more people are affected by your poor choices than just you.

In response to Danielle's "I HATE MeMe Roth"

I also, was shocked by the video we watched in class today. In all seriousness, when the news clip of MeMe Roth came on the screene I thought it was some sort of a joke. I completely agree with Danielle... who does this woman think she is to judge others like this? This woman is indeed very opinionated, and but like Danielle said, "She has a major in PR and Marketing so what gives her the qualification to call someone overweight?" This woman has absolutely no right to be on the news judging anyone's right to success based on their appearance. I was shocked that she was calling Jordan Sparks obese. Different people have different body types and living styles. Their health and their weight is their own personal business, and any health issues that may or may not arise are also their own responsibility to deal with. When MeMe suggested that Jordan shouldn't be the next American Idol soley based on her weight, I agree with Danielle that it was completely uncalled for and ridiculous. To me, it just makes MeMe look bad, and shows that she judges people on their looks only. If America can learn to look past outer beauty and see people for their personality and talents, which is obviously what America is doing on American Idol, I think we're a lot better off than if we're worrying about being a couple of pounds heavier than a supermodel.

honestly people...

After reading the two articles from this week I have lost a little more hope for the human race.

I knew people discriminated against others of opposite skin colors and races and religions/beliefs, and I believe i've already stated my thoughts on that being completely ridiculous... but with that already being such a big issue, do people really need to be discriminating against different shades of color within their own religion/culture????!?!??!?!? i'm in shock. I had no idea that, for example, Indian women find it a very negative thing to be a darker shade of their skin tone. This quote really stood out to me as I read Nicole Leistikow's piece... "When I was a child my grandmother took me to one side and said make sure you're good at something, no man will ever marry you for your looks," the word that came to mind was pretty much... "honestly??" and I had no idea "skin lightening" products were such a huge industry. i'm all for freedom of speech and freedom of expression. I guess if companies really want to market these products, they should have the right to do that. we certainly alter enough other aspects of our body... but I of course do not agree that these brands should be such a huge market. They only are because of the belief that dark skin is bad, and bc we listen to everything the media tells us, and this is a perfect example- im confident that this idea wouldn't be around today without some type of reinforcement. it doesnt effect your health, your personality or your intelligence.
... otherwise no way these would be multi-million dollar industries. we make them that way.

Hairpeace

This article was a little confusing at first. I couldn't really tell what the author was getting at, and didn't understand what she was even complaining about. My thought is that possibly she was being partially sarcastic about her need to fulfill a quota of hair stories because it can be such a huge deal to people, and she's trying to make out the point that it's just hair, and although she used to spend 2 hours a day obsessing over it being straight and perfect and not the way she wanted it, she finally realized, at age 18 that it just wasn't worth it anymore. She was supposed to "fix" her hair to make it "good hair" instead of letting it be natural. She shares stories with the reader that exemplify how much (excuse my language) shit that people gave her over her hair being curly instead of wavy and beautiful and strait. By half way through the piece i managed to understand this general idea of what she was getting at, and she really makes a good point. It's sad that people feel they need to change their own image to be right, and even worse that those people judge others for not doing the same. I also like the title that Pearl Cleage gave her piece. hairPEACE.... implying the ending of per story where she comes to peace with her hair, and realizes that she doesn't need to alter her body in order to be beautiful, bc she already is.

Essay 2

I ended up writing my essay about gender roles, and how they effect athletics in American culture, and I was really happy about how it turned out. I discussed how these gender roles can negatively impact both men and women, and how they are enforced by the media, our peers, and older and influential people surrounding us in our community. It really made me think about how these ideas of "normal" impact my daily life, and how they have a huge effect on how i view people and events in my daily life.
I really like what the other two people in my editing group did with their essays too. It's interesting to see different people's thoughts on normalcy, and how they express their specific area of interest pertaining to it. I learned a lot by reading their essays both about them and about the subjects they chose to write about. Through reading and editing other peers' papers I feel like i learn more about my own style of writing, because i can compare the way that i write to theirs, and it makes me think more about how to better express my ideas and thoughts.