Dutch sexology group calls for ban on cosmetic surgery for minors
Amsterdam- Dutch sexology association NVVS on Thursday called for a ban on cosmetic surgery for minors, even if their parents consent to such procedures. Breast enlargements and cosmetic surgery of the vagina, vulva and labia among minors are winning popularity in the Netherlands, according to the association.
In its statement published on its website, the NVVS says legal prohibition is necessary to fight what it calls the "twisted image" of women that youngsters are getting from the media.
The association also argues against the media using beauty and youth as the only defining factors of feminity.
The NVVS said it believed increased attention for sex in the media plays a role in the increasing popularity of cosmetic surgery among young people.
The association wants to research the effect of what it calls the "sexualization of the media" on teenagers and young adults.
The Netherlands is known for its liberal sex policies, but in recent years women's rights groups have complained about being "sexually exploited" by the media.
In early April, politicians of the government coalition party Christian Union, women's organisations and private citizens complained about a 200-square-metre billboard in the medieval inner city of Utrecht, depicting a young woman in a tiny bikini.
They claimed the billboard was not merely an advertisement, but transformed women into an object of sexual lust. Despite the criticism, the billboard was not taken down.