More than half a million Australian women have had—or are planning—“designer surgery” on their vaginas—and under the influence of mainstream pornography and social media, reports News.com.au.
It is currently one of the fastest growing cosmetic procedures among young women in Australia and around the world. The surgery, known as labiaplasty, involves removing or altering tissue from the labia. While reducing the size of the labia may be related to health, "unrealistic body standards" modeled in both porn and social media are to blame for Gen Z women considering this procedure purely for cosmetic reasons, a study from Women's Health Victoria says and YouGov.
The study surveyed 1,030 girls, women, and “people of different sexes” aged 18 to 50 about their attitude towards their genitals. A total of 23 percent of the respondents aged 18 to 24 said they felt anxious, unhappy, or embarrassed about the way their labia looked, and 35 percent said they associated it with negative words like "weird," "disgusting," or "ugly."
One in 10 respondents—the equivalent of more than half a million Australians—said they had had or considered a cosmetic procedure that carries considerable risks and has not been proven to improve self-esteem, body image, or sexual satisfaction. Of those, 46 percent said their decision was influenced by photos and videos online.
Nineteen percent of Gen Z women said they get information about what their genitals “should look like” through porn, in which the performers' labia are often airbrushed, filtered, and even surgically altered.
“While there is great porn that can boost confidence and enjoyment, there is also a lot that can be harmful. Unrealistic body standards, as modeled in both pornography and social media advertising, can cause young people to worry that their own vulva looks wrong or is misshapen."
Follow NEWS.am STYLE on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram
16:17, June 28
Khloe Kardashian turns 4015:21, June 28
Tom Hanks, Robin Wright reunite on screen in Here14:50, June 28
Who is Bill Gates' daughter dating?14:19, June 28
Michael Jackson owed more than $500M at the time of death, as per court documents13:16, June 28
Kendell Jenner gives herself private nighttime barefoot tour of the Louvre12:20, June 28
Kylie Jenner has plane turned around due to anxiety21:18, June 27
Flowers for the home and beyond: A simple way to get rid of annoying weeds19:33, June 27
‘Wolf in cashmere’: World’s richest man works 24 hours a day, dreams of new ideas when he sleeps16:13, June 27
Vera Wang, 75, proves she has found ‘fountain of youth’15:23, June 27
Kourtney Kardashian share fears about vaginal prolapse after childbirth14:33, June 27
Paulina Porizkova, 59, in bikini: ‘Older is better’13:43, June 27
Britney Spears feels 'betrayed' by recent paparazzi photos