Shis issue: (Y Some movies bomb, while others F-bomb (¥Y Canadian army should not be mocked for civil service (¥Y What's the deal with... dog strollers? And more! Have your voice heard! Contact: Opinions Editor, Elliot Chan M opinions@theotherpress.ca www. theotherpress.ca Bully Band-Aid » Plastic surgery for children doesn’t address real issues Natalie Serafini B, Assistant Editor pe M assistant F ki @theotherpress.ca lastic surgery has become something ofa non-issue in society. Where it was once shocking and inconceiv- able outside of the hills of Hollywood, it has normalized in other parts of the world (at least, for rich people). Ifyou’re an adult choosing to change your appearance for yourself and your happiness, it’s your prerogative; more power—and plastic—to you. The question of surgery is more dubious though when you aren’t an adult or aren’t doing it for yourself. This applies to plastic surgery for children, in the name of ending bullying. The American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery reports that within the last decade, the rate of children getting plastic surgery has increased by approximately 30 per cent. Recently making the news for this is 15-year-old Renata, who got plastic surgery to end the bullying which had resulted in her being home- schooled for three years. Renata says, “They would just call me ‘the girl with the big nose.” She worried, having been bullied for so long and home- schooled for years, that she : family turned to the non-profit : organization Little Baby Face : Foundation, which treats chil- : dren with facial birth defects : who are from low-income : families. Renata was diagnosed : : witha deviated septum and : hemi-facial microsomia (a : condition in which parts of the : face remain underdeveloped; in : : Renata’s case, this caused her : nose to be crooked). To address : these birth defects, Renata : received rhinoplasty, correcting : : both the size and crookedness : of her nose, anda chin implant : to balance out her face. : often bring up of “What if she : goes on to be addicted to plastic : : surgery?” don’t worry me, : and I don't believe the family : is fostering an extravagant : attitude towards surgery. : this “solution” doesn’t address : the issue in the first place, and : consequently isn’t a solution : atall. There is nothing wrong : with Renata—I know she : was diagnosed witha facial : birth defect, but there is truly : nothing wrong with her. Her : surgery likely won't accomplish : : much more than feeding : : into the xenophobic-like : attitude of “You're different : from me so I don’t like you.” : would “never have any friends, : or anyone to be there for me.” For help, she and her The concerns that people What concerns me is that Don’t get me wrong, Renata : : doesn’toweanyoneanything, : : and if her facial changes make : her happy, I’m happy for her. I : wish she wasn’t making these : permanent changes at such : ayoung age, but she doesn’t : have to bea martyr, suffering through high school. While : her youth makes me appre- : hensive, it’s not her age that : concerns me in this matter. I worry because she wasn’t : making these changes for : herself; that’s clear from the : impetus for her surgery, and from her statement, “I think if : they see you getting the surgery : : to fixsomethingthat they've — : : teased you about, I think it : would make them feel bad and : maybeitwouldchangetheir —: mind about doing it.” While the : : bulliesmighthavelostsome — : : ammunition, the realityisthat : : Renata’s surgery willlikely have : : noeffect onthe kids’ attitudes: : orsense of guilt.Iftheydidn’t —: : feel remorse before, her validat- : : ing their cruelty by “fixing” her- : : self will give them little pause. : And even if it does give them : pause, Renata isn’t responsible : for teaching them a lesson. The problem is that Renata was being bullied, that she felt alone and friendless, and that : she felt she needed to change : in order to be accepted. Hoda : Kotb of The Today Show, inter- : viewing Renata and her mother, : A teen who got plastic sergery to avoid bullying. // By NBC : asked “Doesn't it put the burden : : onthe victim, as opposed to : the bully?” Spot on, Hoda. Of course bullying is : alarger problem that can : and will only be addressed : gradually, and I don’t fault any : individual who makes choices : that will assumedly mitigate : the teasing. There should be more avenues and more con- structive solutions to bullying, : because this uptick in rates of : kids getting plastic surgery : will only continue to increase : otherwise. In the big picture, : plastic surgery asa “solution” is : nothing more thana Band-Aid : to bullying, and an acquiescent : “You're right, I’m not good : enough. I’ll go fix myself.” War of the Words: Influenza and H1NI1 Vaccine » Vaccination may be a whole other can of worms Elliot Chan Opinions Editor © opinions @theotherpress.ca f you have been vaccinated, youre probably feeling pretty good about yourself. If modern medicine has taught us anything, it’s that it works 100 per cent of the time, right? Nope. I know I’m being a bit cheeky about an important subject, but realistically, there isn’t much we can do. Sure, health is important, but can vaccines replace good habits? Nope again. Let’s not become so dependent on medicine that : we forget the primary method : of mitigating sickness: wash : your hands, cover your mouth, : and stay at home when you're : sick—everything your mom ; taught you. Fine, if it makes you feel better to be vaccinated, go : right ahead and get the shots, : but don’t just dive headfirst, : allowing someone to inject a ; magical elixir into your body. : Understand yourself; recognize : your own habits and health. : If your job demands it, get : the shot—be responsible, but : there’s a reason shots aren't : mandatory. Health is subjective, : because only you know how you : feel. I’m not a doctor, but I can : think for myself, and I know : that while some people might : need a shot to avoid the flu, : others don't. Although the risk of flu outweighs the risk of vaccine : allergies, I must still ask: what : : is going to protect you from the : : next disease? And the disease after that? No doctor can guarantee : 100 per cent that you won't feel side effects from a “safe” : vaccination. Headaches, : fatigue, fever, and aching : muscles are just some of the : light symptoms vaccinations : can cause. Yes, I know, that all : seems rather minor compared : to death from influenza. The : 2009 pandemic was a scare, : and the 2013-2014 situation is : still calling a lot of attention to : our health. Be aware, but don’t : panic, and don’t cause other : people to panic. Negativity is a : poison in its own regards. I’m not advocating that people should avoid : vaccination. Medicine is good, : but health is a balancing act, : both physically and mentally. ; The more you anticipate : sickness the easier it is to : be subjected to the placebo : effect, good or bad. So, does : the vaccine even work or is : it just insurance? You might : think that the doctors have all : the answers, but fora healthy : person, they don’t have much : to work with. Healthy thinking : and living, to me, far outweigh : the importance of getting : shots. I get it, we are all busy : and we need to make money, : shots are the easy way to ensure : healthiness. But invest in : yourself longterm. Don’t allow : an epidemic to force you to live better—just live better. Shots or not, it’s always : up to you. I repeat: I’m not a : doctor, and I’m not you either. : All I know is that health is a : tricky thing and sometimes : covering your ass may backfire. : So relax. Just as car accidents : happen every single day, so do : illnesses.