K talks with M about breast implants and culture

[Guest guest]

September 23 -- A mother and actress best known for her role as

in the television series The Waltons, McDonough has become an

outspoken critic of breast implants since her own silicone breast

implants resulted in numerous health problems. She is founder of

Intheknow.org, which is leading the West Coast charge to stop the FDA

from lifting restrictions on silicone breast implants; a decision

will be made in October. The interview was conducted via email on the

week of September 20.

MK: Thank you for sharing your views on breast implants with us and

agreeing to this interview. I have 10 questions for you.

Intheknow.org was begun to raise awareness of silicone breast implant

health risks in response to the FDA's impending decision to lift

restrictions on their sale, and the website details your own

experience with them.

Although the increased health and financial risks posed by breast

implant surgery -- silicone and saline -- is a concern,

my main interest is the larger cultural issue: Why are so many women

having bags of plastic sewn into their chests? So here we go!

#1 Why do you think there's been such a phenomenal rise -- 626% to

237,000 surgeries in 2002 -- in cosmetic breast implants in the past

10 years?

MM: I think the rise in implants is due to a few different things.

Fashion is one of them, celebrities as role models is another, lack

of self esteem among women and the belief that large breasts create a

better self image, and the general belief that implants are safe

could be another reason. Plastic surgery is on the rise so it would

follow that implants would be as well. The manufacturers have spent a

lot of money to convince women that implants are safe and the media

reporting has fueled that belief.

#2 How do you think your decision to have implants relates to Jane

Doe's decision to have them?

MM: My decision was career based and that might not be far off from

Jane Doe's decision. My decision was based on the misguided belief

that my career was the foundation of my self esteem. It took me years

to realize my value was as a person, not the work I did.

#3 You mention the pressure actresses are under to have certain size

breasts. I look at actresses such as Debra Messing, Gwyneth Paltrow,

Kate Hudson and Zellweger who have small breasts. Why are they

getting roles?

MM: This is a completely different generation of actresses...thank

God (although they are VERY thin with a whole other look going on

which involves NO curves, so to speak. This is a whole other

dangerous " LOOK " for young girls to strive for). When I was young

everyone was doing posters. Loni , Farrah and others

were " the look " to have. Bravo to the natural beauties with natural

breasts and curves.

MK: You've hit on something. A high profile ideal apparently is to be

thin and have ample breasts. Mother Nature doesn't hand out that

shape often, so the plastic surgery industry markets an implant

product to insert to get that shape -- on the top half anyway. I

guess there's lipo or constant dieting for the bottom half! Bravo to

those who reject that and appreciate a woman's assets in all her

natural glory!

#4 A common claim is that implants gives women and edge to succeed.

Two of my state's (Wisconsin) most powerful and highly visible

political leaders are women. They have small breasts. I bet if a

study were done on successful women's breast sizes, we'd find a whole

lot of standard deviation. Then there's the in demand actresses

mentioned in #3. Any thoughts?

MM: Smart women who are successful in business have a different sense

of themselves, perhaps. They are mind driven, they have intelligence

on their side of self esteem.

#5 What is your response to the suggestion that entertainers are

visual icons for millions of women and girls, men and boys, and that

every time a female entertainer gets breast implants she sends the

signal that her natural breasts are inadequate?

MM: I think it has some truth to it. It makes me sad that a beautiful

girl would think her beauty would increase with her bust size.

MK: What about a mother who gets implants. What message is she

sending to her daughter or son? What about her husband?

MM: A lot of husbands want their wives to have large breasts so we

can't keep them out of the mix. Having implants is a personal

decision. I don't judge a woman who chooses them, I just want her to

have all the information about her decision.

#6 Let's discuss breast cancer. There seems to be a lot of

expectation and need to regain that pre-surgery balance. It must be a

very difficult decision for mastectomy patients to make. I know women

who've chosen to have an implant and are satisfied with their

decision. And I know women who are satisfied with their decision to

not have an implant, made primarily out of concern for detecting

recurring cancer.

Which brings me to last August when Tit 4 Tat had a booth at the

Michigan Womyn's Music Festival. I saw a lot of women walking around

sans tops. There were women of different shapes and sizes; some had

both breasts, some had one and some had none. All were comfortable

with their bodies, and all women were beautiful in that comfort. I

found that to be a profound experience and it strengthened my belief

that the implant culture needs to be challenged and confronted. Your

thoughts?

MM: Wow. What a great experience. I think if we were more exposed (

no pun intended) to women's bodies in all sizes and shapes we would

be more accepting of ourselves and others. Are they on your web site?

If our society could see MORE than the unrealistic images of beauty

more often, then maybe our young men and women could be more

accepting of all shapes and sizes.

MK: Images of topfree women at the festival won't be posted on our

website out of respect for privacy. At Mich Fest a lot of women were

wearing our Salvo tank, which has the No silicone, no saline, no sir!

Nice Tits logo on it. It was interesting, I was handing out Nice Tits

tattoos and women of all shapes and sizes were wearing them. A couple

women with obvious implants walked by the Tit 4 Tat booth. I offered

them the tattoos, but they refused.

Bringing breasts out of the closet and into the good 'ol American

sunlight would be healthy all around. The shock would last about 10

minutes. I'm going to write about this in my November column. I know

it's legal for women to go topfree in some cities.

#7 The American Association of Plastic Surgeons' website promotes

implants as a way for women to improve our " motivation, self-esteem

and confidence. " I find that slightly hilarious. What's your take on

their claim?

MM: It makes me want to vomit. There is something VERY warped here. A

sack in your chest can't make the real problem go away. Ask any

shrink.

#8 The medical community seem to be remarkably quiet (perhaps

coincidentally, by my calculation plastic surgeons pocketed a minimum

of $711 million off implants last year) on the FDA's upcoming review

of silicone breast implants. In fact, the AAPS website

(plasticsurgery.org) newsroom's only mention of implants is one study

showing silicone implants to have low complication rates. None of the

studies showing women with cosmetic breast implants to have suicide

rates 3X higher than women in the general population have appeared in

the their newsroom. Your thoughts?

MM: I think they are quiet because they have been told silicone

implants will be available soon, so not to worry and just wait a bit.

Certainly if the hearings in October go the way the saline approval

did then it IS true. They have no worries. The fact that they are NOT

reporting the truth is frustrating and why I am putting myself out

there on this issue. But it's not surprising. Women have never had

the facts about implants.

#9 The Los Angeles Business Journal has nominated Inamed Corp. CEO

L. Teti ³Entrepreneur of the Year.² Inamed (which, according

to their website, helps women achieve the ³shape they¹ve always

dreamed of²) is the implant manufacturer that made the request to the

FDA for silicone approval. Your thoughts?

MM: If he gets this implant on the market, then he will be, I guess.

Too bad they can't offer a woman the SAFE shape she always dreamed of.

#10 If I send you a Salvo Tank would you be a sport and model it for

our Homepage?

MM: Which one is that? I like the No Silicone, No Saline one. I do

want one for my daughter too. I thought about wearing them for our

October 8th rally in DC. What do you think?

I do have an 11 year old and a (Catholic) mother who is still alive

so I can't really wear the " nice tits " one....even though I want

to!!!!

MK: My mom's 83 years old and Lutheran! She's surviving Nice Tits

just fine. Of course Lutherans are known for being tough as nails.

Thanks for the virtual chat. Take care and watch for a package from

us. The Salvos are perfect for the Oct. 8 rally.

______________________________________

Tit 4 Tat http://www.tit4tat.net

In the Know http://www.intheknow.org