They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but as black women, we know all too well the dichotomy between mainstream beauty norms and the ones upheld within our culture—many of which have been appropriated and regurgitated by the mainstream.
BET’s Killer Curves, executive produced and narrated by La La Anthony and premiering tonight, Wednesday, August 8 at 10 p.m. EDT, takes an intimate look at one of the epidemics plaguing the health of women in our community—all in the name of beauty.
Despite recent warnings issued by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, butt enhancement surgery has become a mainstay for women in striving to conform to the cultural pressure to have large, shapely behinds. This, in spite of the fact that butt augmentation has the“greatest mortality rate of any cosmetic procedure.” To make matters worse, the proliferation of black market and unlicensed basement practitioners have resulted in irreparable damage, injury and death.
To truly understand the motivations, dangers and often tragic aftermaths of this risky business, BET News followed several women whose lives have been forever marred by the operation, in an investigation of “the increasingly popular and sometimes fatal trend that is globally affecting women of color: buttocks enhancement” (as told via press release).
Among the women featured is recording artist and Love & Hip Hop star K. Michelle, who grew in recognition as much for her exaggerated backside as her powerhouse voice. Since being adversely affected by her implants, she has become increasing vocal on the dangers of the procedure, which for her resulted in “fertility issues” and at times, left her unable to walk. As she tells BET’s cameras, “I have a very powerful platform, and it’s my obligation to come out and say ‘this [isn’t] what you want’.”
But perhaps the most poignant quote of the documentary’s trailer comes from another victim, a double amputee who almost lost her life due to silicon injections. While speaking from a wheelchair, she gets to the real issue behind the ongoing issue with butt augmentation in one simple statement:
“We just don’t feel like enough,” she says.