New Era

P A G E 2 4 | N E W E R A
B U R C U K I C I K
In a beauty pageant, which is supposed to celebrate natural beauty,
the fact that a contestant who has undergone plastic surgery was able
to win the competition raises questions about the societal standards of
beauty. It highlights the way in which these standards have become
increasingly focused on the appearance of the body rather than on
inner beauty or intelligence.
Overall, the normalization of plastic surgery in society, as reflected in
events like the Miss Turkey pageant, has contributed to the pressure to
conform to certain beauty standards and has had negative
consequences for body image and self-esteem, particularly for young
people.
One of the ways in which people
may try to conform to the beauty
standards promoted on social
media is through plastic surgery
(Mills and Mills, 2017). Aesthetic
operations are more affordable
and widely available than ever
before, leading some to turn to
surgical procedures in an attempt
to achieve the "perfect" body.
However, the risks associated with these procedures should not be
underestimated, as there have been numerous instances of people
being injured or disfigured by fake or unqualified doctors (Smith and
Lefkowitz, 2016). In particular, young girls may be at risk of getting
procedures done by fake doctors, which can have serious and
potentially life-threatening consequences (Tiggemann and Slater,
2016).
The pressure to conform to this narrow beauty ideal can be particularly
intense for young people, who may feel a sense of obligation to be
well-groomed and made up at all times in order to present a
"perfect" image on social media (Smith and Lefkowitz, 2016). The
multimedia nature of these platforms, which allow for the sharing of
photos and videos, means that people are constantly bombarded
with images of the "perfect" body and face.
This can lead to a feeling of inadequacy and a desire to
conform to these beauty standards, even if it means resorting
to unhealthy or risky behaviors (Mills and Mills, 2017).