Topic > Cosmetic Surgery for Middle-Aged Women - 2265

The female body has been conceptualized as an unfinished biological and social phenomenon, which is transformed into participation in our society. The way we walk, talk and handle are all influenced by our upbringing. Sociologists argue that we conceptualize our bodies and use them as markers of distinction in contemporary society of our self and identity related to our body (Featherstone, 2010). The idea that our bodies are continually in a state of unfinished process and are a project that should be worked on and realized as part of an individual's personal identity (Shilling, 2003). According to Nettleton (2006) who states that attitudes towards our bodies influence the dissemination of health promotion and the cultural aspects of our lives. From the moment we are conceived until the moment we die, our social process impacts our health and well-being. The social position of our parents will influence our life choices. Our understanding of beliefs about health and illness will be maintained by our peers and those we live with; these aspects will shape our understanding of our health and well-being. There are two polarized perspectives on our body, as the naturalistic assumes that the body is a true biological entity, where we exist as a universal phenomenon regardless of the social context in which it resides. The second polarization is the socio-constructionist one which approaches by contrast the socially created or invented body. Williams, (2003) argue that the body has been variously described as affecting power, knowledge and the place in which we have our experiences. However, according to Davis, (1997:15) argue that our bodies are not simply abstractions, as seen as embedded in the immediacy of all life… at the heart of the paper… C. (2003) . The body and social theory. 2nd ed. London: Sage Publishing.STONE, F, M & HEPWORTH, M & TURNER, S, B. (1996). The body, the social process and cultural theory. Sage Publishing.TAYLOR, S & FIELD, D. (2003). Sociology of health and healthcare. 3rd ed. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing.TAIT & SUE. (2007) Television and the domestication of cosmetic surgery. Feminist Media Studies. 7(2): 119-135.WEBSTER, J & TIGGEMANN, M. (2003). The relationship between body satisfaction and women's self-image across the lifespan: The role of cognitive control. The Journal of Genetic Psychology. 162: 241–252.WEISER, B & STACER, P. (2006). I just want to be myself again: beauty pageants, reality TV and post-feminism. Feminist theory. 7(2): 255–272. WILLIAM, J, S. (2003). Medicine and body. London: Sage Publishing.