14/4/2009
The case of the 'designer vagina'
Apexart, New York
Cosmetic surgery, commercialization and culture. A talk by Dr. Virginia Braun
Cosmetic surgery, commercialization and culture: The case of the 'designer vagina'. A talk by Dr. Virginia Braun, in conjunction with the exhibition I Am Art, curated by Anthony Berlet, M.D. The so-called 'designer vagina', -a term used to refer to various forms of female genital cosmetic surgery, usually performed by plastic surgeons or gynecologists- appeared in public discourse about a decade ago. Since that time, this area of cosmetic surgery has been identified as 'the fastest emerging growth trend' in cosmetic surgery, itself a field which has expanded exponentially over that time. In this talk, Dr. Braun will outline what the surgery is, and identify a cluster of contemporary and historical sociocultural factors which make the appearance of female genital cosmetic surgery entirely understandable.