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CLARIN

Argentina Debates Ban On Plastic Surgery For Teens

Image is everywhere and everything in Buenos Aires
Image is everywhere and everything in Buenos Aires

BUENOS AIRES — Argentina's parliament is set to debate a bill to ban plastic surgery for anyone under the age of 18, in response to reports of its increasing popularity among teens in one of the continent's more image-conscious countries.

The bill, initially presented in March, is ready for debate in the lower house of Parliament after approval by the Family, Childhood and Adolescence, and Health committees.

Pro-government legislator Mara Brawer, who authored the proposal, has said teens and their parents were increasingly opting for surgery "in response to cultural patterns being imposed by the market."

She recently told legislators "we want to protect teenagers from these pressures, which make them reject their own bodies," adding that parents were now especially concerned by teenaged girls' rejection of their bodies.

According to doctors, the greatest number of inquiries were about breast enlargement, cellulite-removing liposuction and nose jobs.

Critics have cautioned about the threat to parental authority, noting that very few teens have actually had breast implants, and in many cases doctors refuse to carry out such procedures on teenage girls.

Brawer has responded that "there is a limit to parental authority, because even with parental permission a minor cannot work 45 hours a week or watch X-rated films."

In cases of bonafide need, she said, citing for example, young people with so-called "Dumbo" ears, surgery would be allowed after "a psychologist's report that shows how the child is affected and a medical report confirming the completion of his or her growth phase."

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Society

Is Disney's "Wish" Spreading A Subtle Anti-Christian Message To Kids?

Disney's new movie "Wish" is being touted as a new children's blockbuster to celebrate the company's 100th anniversary. But some Christians may see the portrayal of the villain as God-like and turning wishes into prayers as the ultimate denial of the true message of Christmas.

photo of a kid running out of a church

For the Christmas holiday season?

Joseph Holmes

Christians have always had a love-hate relationship with Disney since I can remember. Growing up in the Christian culture of the 1990s and early 2000s, all the Christian parents I knew loved watching Disney movies with their kids – but have always had an uncomfortable relationship with some of its messages. It was due to the constant Disney tropes of “follow your heart philosophy” and “junior knows best” disdain for authority figures like parents that angered so many. Even so, most Christians felt the benefits had outweighed the costs.

That all seems to have changed as of late, with Disney being hit more and more by claims from conservatives (including Christian conservatives) that Disney is pushing more and more radical progressive social agendas, This has coincided with a steep drop at the box office for Disney.

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