34 Comments

Dying over the imaginary (and one has to assume, accurate) Joe Jonas internal dialogue. I wonder if that type of confessional will be the next evolution of transparency about this kind of thing. Not framing it as self-care and empowerment, but as acknowledgment of insecurity and fear.

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Lolll thank you. I hope it will be the next evolution! Because I really think laid-bare emotional transparency about these procedures will make these procedures seem very silly/ineffective/clearly not what the person truly needs.

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Brilliant analysis, Jessica — especially "Ageism for all!” is not a progressive stance" and "capitalist psyops". Internalized bias is self-loathing.

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Thank you!! Couldn't agree more.

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Incredibly sad. Imagine the Botox people and all their competitors, always looking for new prey, now discovering that they can reel in young men, too! Ah, the potential!! Vast global market opening up! 😩

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Exactly

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I really want to read Chambers’ book - I found the articulation of the young self as the “real” self so fascinating and something that I want to learn to escape from. Thank you for curating this research!!

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I highly recommend it!

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Ugh.... I saw this commercial and cringed. the first thing I thought was... How much money did this brand have to pay him? prob in the upper 6 figures, if not millions.

Thanks as always for dismantling this B.S.!!!!!!!!

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Right??? I am dying to know how big this deal was.

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My first thought was « why, Joe Jonas? Why would you ignore the incredible luxury you have of being able to age as a man without your intrinsic value diminishing in the eyes of the patriarchy, and instead promote Botox for more people to feel dehumanized? »

My second thought was that discovering this product and procedure was invented by female evil geniuses to get back at mankind for objectifying women for centuries would be an excellent start to a dystopian novel.

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I'd read that novel!

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That advert is so dystopian. "This procedure could cause death," the narrator says as our chipper (former?) pop star cheerfully texts a friend. Sci-fi movies have nothing on reality.

I loved this analysis of ageism, especially your analysis of what "emotional radical transparency" would look like.

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For real! It's all so disturbing

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Excellent as always Jessica! Can we love ourselves any less with all this cosmetic beauty culture BS?

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Thank you! It's brutal out here.

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"Financially coerced honesty." 😂 and Botox in your 60's will not allow you to look like you did in your 30's.

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For real!

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YESSS PREACH

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<3 <3 <3

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On that note, did you read the GQ article about men gaining a few inches. It's sad and terrifying!

https://www.gq.com/story/leg-lengthening

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Yes!! What a wild story

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"Capitalist psyop"!!!

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🙃

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My favorite part was about our role models for beauty and the procedures they’ve had done. I completely relate. I know the derm I follow does procedures on herself because she’s said so. On the one hand, I can say she looks like that because she’s done XYZ. On the other hand I desperately want XYZ too.

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Ooops. Hit post too soon. I’ve been considering unfollowing her and I think this has finally made up my mind.

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I support that decision! I stopped using Instagram completely and I feel so freeeee

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I'm gonna save that Tressie McMillan Cottom quote on my phone to send to people when they defend celebs (and influs) that get botox coz 'they like their face like that' but promote inclusivity in the beauty industry

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This hit so hard for me. UGH! (A good "ugh")

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Thank you for this! I love the article, so helpful for lack of a better way to put it right now!

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I'm so glad you found it helpful!!

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