Saline facial injections, from Bizarre Magazine.
This reminds me of Travesti: Sex, Gender, and Culture Among Brazilian Trangendered Prostitutes, by Don Kulick. The travesti Kulick studied and lived with gave themselves and each other silicone injections in their hips, thighs, and breasts in order to take on a more feminine shape. The silicone injections were painful, and could become damaged and dented if they were pressed (as when the saline injections are pressed in the center, as above), but it was worth it for the feminine female shape. The modern American obsession with plastic surgery is eerily similar to these body modifications, as well.
I still remain amazed that people think that it’s a good thing that it’s so difficult for people to get sex change hormones and surgery. Where does body modification end? Why must genital alteration be the most expensive, when we can have our faces changed for less?I do agree that it sucks that people feel forced to subject themselves to these things.. but i must argue that things are getting better..if not in south America and Asia… they certainly are here. Cases such as these hardly happen in this country because of distribution of pharmaceutical hormones. Trans people here (with good insurance and or the support it takes to transition) can afford themselves the hormones they need for the bodies they want.
also, i think the issue of genital alteration is quite complex. genital alternation is a complicated procedure especially with FTM patients (just think it’s easier to dig a hole then it is to mold a sand castle) and many doctors don’t feel qualified to take the risk. Sure, many doctors are bias and refuse due to the fact that there is hardly a pressing need for one to reconstruct their genitals. however, i think the biggest issue is that this is a tale of class… resources are available to those who can pay.
what needs to change more than people’s views on transsexuals is people views on the value of human life.
i read that book for a gender sex and culture class…. and not to dismiss what you’re saying but many of the travesti’s studied were not interested in having a vagina…. their sensuality steams from being a man who is attracted to men … and they dress as women as a means to attract men…. not because they identify as women…. or even that they want to have a genital alteration.
Ewwwwwwww
