Would you consider having Cosmetic Surgery?

Bullying- Have I ever been Bullied?

Cosmetic Surgery. That is another topic that was tackled in the Korean Drama series I watched called My ID is Gangnam Beauty. Kang Mi Rae, one of the main characters in the series, is a college student who has undergone cosmetic surgery just to avoid being bullied in her college life just because of her physical appearance. The surgery went well and she got what she wanted, to be loved and accepted partly because she is pretty but mainly because of her character.

Cosmetic Surgery is a medical procedure to enhance the appearance of an individual, mostly performed on all areas of the head, neck, and body.

We all know that there are many people, mostly women who are in the entertainment industry, whether an actress, singer, dancer, or a model, who had to undergo cosmetic surgery to enhance the features of their faces and body to be more beautiful than they already were. I wouldn't name any names but if you know them, then you know.

I actually don't have an issue if a person had to undergo cosmetic surgery because it's not me who paid for the operation, and mainly because it's not my body. And if it's not my body, it means that I don't have a say in it and my opinion should not matter. If having cosmetic surgery is the only way for them to boost their self-confidence, then let them me.

Would I consider having Cosmetic Surgery?

When I was still younger, I used to watch Rated K, a Sunday evening show on a Philippine network by Korina Sanchez. One time, she featured a story about a fat guy who easily lose weight because of a medical operation. It cost him a huge amount of money just for him to get the ideal body he wants. And at that time, it came into my mind that once I am already working, I should save a lot of money too so that I can afford the operation. I have shared in my recent article that when I was still younger, I was really fat. And because I also wanted to be thinner, that's what I thought of.

Growing up, I got a lot of insecurities in my body. I was bullied because of having darker skin and so I used whitening soap and lotion just to have a fairer one. I also did work out just to get rid of my baby fats and love handles and to avoid being called "tabachoy" (fatty). And because of my 2 big teeth in front, I also thought of getting dental braces to align and straighten my teeth so that I will have the confidence to smile.

Then when I got in High School, some of my classmates and friends noticed and poked fun of my flat nose. My friends would say that my nose was passed over by a huge truck that's why it is flat. I laughed with them when they joked about it, and I still find that joke funny tho. However, it's also one of my insecurities, to have a flat nose.

To be honest, if I were to consider undergoing cosmetic surgery, the operation I would probably want to have is Rhinoplasty or a nose job. I thought that if only I have a sharper nose, I would probably look better in pictures. And if I do have a sharp nose, I wouldn't be teased by my friends that I was hit by a truck. And if I have it, I might have higher confidence whenever I look at my face.

You see. Just like Kang Mi Rae, I have been very influenced by what and how people think about my body. Like what Mi Rae said, "others' opinions are important to me."

We try so hard to be accepted by a society that we are willing to exert so much effort to the extent of wanting to have cosmetic surgery just to look better in the eyes of other people.

Soo Ah said (non-verbatim), "To be loved, you should be pretty."

And whether we agree or not, people easily notice and love those who are beautiful in their eyes. People with pretty and handsome faces easily stand out. And if we don't pass their standard of beauty, even if we are kind or intelligent, we still have to double our efforts just to be noticed, appreciated, and loved.

And just like what Patchot (Kathryn Bernardo) said in Must Be Love, "Mata ang unang nagmamahal." (It's the eyes that fall in love first).

However, the idea that there is a certain standard to be called "pretty/beautiful" should not be tolerated and body shaming must not be accepted.

No one is ugly. We are all beautiful in our own ways. We are all unique and created equal. No one is above or below the other.

Being fat or thin, tall or short, having brown or black skin, having big teeth, and a flat nose. These shouldn't be considered flaws and imperfections. They are you and nothing is wrong with that.

Love your body. Embrace it. Accept it. Flaunt it. And don't be frustrated if people will laugh at you for being you. Remember, you can't please everyone.