Labiaplasty The racial implications of cosmetic genital surgery

+ Labiaplasty: The racial implications of cosmetic genital surgery

+ What is a labiaplasty? n. A cosmetic surgery performed on the Labia Minora, Majora, or Prepuce (skin that hangs laterally above the clit). n One or a combination of these areas within the vulva are cut and made to look, supposedly, more aesthetically pleasing. n Skin considered loose and hanging is removed

+ Reasons n 66% of women are embarrassed by their large labia– according to the Cosmetic Gynecology Surgery Suite – and undergo a labiaplasty n Some women who experience discomfort due to the size of their labia have them reduced as well as women who have been deformed by an injury.

+ Procedure n According to the Atlanta Center for Aesthetic Vaginal Surgery… n The procedures take 1 hour each, 1 ½ if combined n Anesthesia is the best pain killer for this procedure – others will cause the vulva to swell n Performing skill. ” this procedure takes “artistry and

+ Before & After Photos n Images of labia minora reduction: http: //www. lvratlanta. com/labia-minorareduction-ba. php n Images of labia majora reduction: http: //www. lvratlanta. com/labia-majorareduction-ba. php n Images of clitoral hood lift: http: //www. lvratlanta. com/labia-minorareduction-ba. php

So, where does the embarrassment + leading women to do this come from?

+ Mainstream porn & gendered specific medical issues n The mainstream porn industry, among other things, has misinformed many individuals on how the body is supposed to look and perform sexually. n Euro centric ideals of beauty. n From PMS to Female Sexual Dysfunction Western Medicine tends to problematize female specific issues. Large labia have been turned into just another “problem. ”

+ Racial Alterity n Racism is often cited as reason that features perceived as racially or ethnically specific are or reconfigured to look more “white. ” n The ethnic or racial “other” not only makes themselves look less white, they are often reducing their size or taking up less physical space, diminishing the physical presence of their difference. (ie. nose jobs and labia reduction).

+ Venus of Hottentot/Saarjite Baartman n This South African woman was exhibited in Europe during the early 19 th Century. n Europeans were astounded by her large labia n They fixated on the size of her labia. They thought her to have a large sexual appetite due to her large labia (obviously not true). n She was dismembered after her death and her labia were placed on display until after her death, as were casts of her labia. n All other African women were thought to have large genitalia and thus large sexual appetites.

+ n While we do not operate on the same standards as the past many old ideals still remain. n This one case study says that large labias make one dirty in Europeans standards (not white, oversexualized) n I just want you to consider, what is driving the phenomenon of labiaplasty?

+ Resources n http: //www. lvratlanta. com/ n http: //www. vaginalabiaplasty. com/ n http: //english. emory. edu/Bahri/Exhibition. html n http: //en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Sarah_Baartman