MyFreeImplants.com greets its visitors, “Ladies”¦ Have you ever wanted bigger breasts? But couldn’t afford the expensive costs of surgery? Gents”¦ Help the girl of your dreams, get the body of her dreams. Develop a connection with a girl of your choice and help her earn Free Breast Implants!” If you aren’t familiar with the Web site, but are intrigued, keep reading before you start making your profile.
This online community consists of women who create personal profiles (with heavy emphasis on photos) in the hopes of having men donate money to their breast implant funds. Men and women interact by sending personal messages and photos, texting and video chatting, and writing blogs. When the rich men, or benefactors, create accounts, they buy message credits to talk to the girls and can look at all the profiles they want.
After they establish a connection, the men can start sending giant sums of money or “donations” to help improve the girls’ low self-esteem, according to the Web site.
Basically, the Web site’s only credibility is that the funds are wired exclusively to doctors. In other words, these women can’t take the money and spend it on anything else. They can exchange their attention for men’s money and it’s completely legal.
There is some discretion though, the Web site states, “We request that you be respectful of the ladies on this website. While you may request particular outfits for custom photos, the ultimate decision is up to the lady. We encourage you to both work together in a civil manner so that everyone is happy. Abuse of the system or harassment of any member will not be tolerated.” I think the cutest part of that disclaimer is calling them “ladies.”
The benefactors of MyFreeImplants have been commended for their charity work. Radio personality Adam Carolla praised the men, saying “You’re doing the lord’s work! I want to thank you.” However, I’m not sure how godly silicone breasts are.
Personally, I’m part of the camp that believes that breast implants are always a mistake. Having big breasts is really just a weight on your shoulders (yuk yuk yuk). Every top that doesn’t have a high collar immediately becomes revealing. On the flip side, the lucky girls with double-As can wear deep V-neck T-shirts and all the tank tops they want. They can get away with their bras showing because they don’t have to wear what look like tote bags over their boobs.
Fashion aside, girls with natural breasts are also typically seen as being “real.” Others won’t be wondering what else is fake about them. Maybe that’s why so many girls on reality TV shows have them; their whole lives seem to be based on putting on an act.
For those of you with breast implants, I’m not talking about you. I’m sure yours look and feel very real. I’m just saying that there are other ways to go about being comfortable in your own body.
You can’t implant confidence; it is 100 percent mental. A great example of this is Tyra Banks. She is completely confident despite also being totally out of her mind. That whole “I am woman; hear me roar” thing is kind of working for her because her show hasn’t been cancelled (yet).
MyFreeImplants.com provides a Band-Aid for the larger issue at hand. What these girls really need is MyFreeTherapy.com. Thinking that cosmetic surgery will fix the problems in your life is entirely irrational.
Your relationship, family, and job problems won’t be fixed (maybe unless you’re trying out to be a Laker Girl). Getting attention from strange men who will foot the bill on your surgery isn’t real love. If the issue were entirely about money, then get a job. If your income isn’t large enough to put money aside for the surgery, then you don’t get surgery and take more time off work.
Nothing in life is free. And in this case, free implants come at the price of your dignity.
E-mail Jagerman at njagerman@media.ucla.edu. Send general comments to viewpoint@media.ucla.edu.