Just when you thought that social media couldn’t possibly get any more invasive, there’s MyFreeImplants.com—a site dedicated to helping ladies obtain free breast implants over the Web. Well, not free, exactly. The surgical bills are footed by male benefactors (their term), other members of the site who bestow donations upon women via email.
Founded in 2005 by a couple of Nice Guys, MyFreeImplants.com has reportedly helped nearly a thousand women obtain the tits of their dreams. Media outlets from Fox News to BBC America to Tyra (a media outlet in and of herself?) have covered the emergence of this fundraising platform, with attitudes ranging from skepticism to glowing praise.
It’s tough to pin down a sweeping generalization about MyFreeImplants’s ethics (or lack thereof). After all, breast implants and reconstructive surgery appeal to all manner of women for all manner of reasons. Having a fairy godfather appear out of nowhere to bankroll this surgery could be a blessing to some.
But “could” is the imperative word here. MyFreeImplants could be a valuable and legitimate service, if the bulk of its suggested “fundraising efforts” didn’t involve video chatting and private photos. These big-money items that sound a whole lot like webcam modeling bring the site squarely into the realm of “ehhh”.
What’s with all the predatory-looking dudes and fawning women plastered all over the site? There’s an implication of obligation to the site’s “benefactors” that goes beyond mere gratitude, and no amount of euphemisms or deflections can change that.
It’s easy to imagine someone joining this site in pursuit of breast implants, with the misunderstanding that donations are automatic and pain-free, only to discover that the only real money to be had is wrapped up in more private activity. With little bit of bullying and a few words of not-so-subtle persuasion, someone could easily be pushed beyond her comfort zone.
But hey, comfort zones vary from person to person, right? It’s no surprise that opinions about this site fluctuate just as wildly. As with auctioning off your virginity and turning your breast milk into ice cream, crowdsourcing your boob job is simply not for everyone.
Images via myfreeimplants.com and bodybuilding.com
