If you've watched Hulu's The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, chances are you saw the labiaplasty scene, in which reality star Jessi Ngatikaura shared the results of her labiaplasty on camera. In the scene, she is speaking to her castmates about her vulva post childbirth and how her “meat curtains” “hang low” after giving birth.

 
While this may seem to some like another quirky surgery scene on a reality show, it’s far more concerning given the steep rise in labiaplasty surgeries.

The statistics show that young women are already experiencing vulva anxiety so it's incredibly concerning that the mainstream media are normalising labiaplasty. When women now search 'labiaplasty' on Google, there is a chance this scene featuring Jessi will appear and paint the picture that labiaplasty is easily accessible and something that women should consider.

It's particularly disturbing to see a new mother discussing her post-birth body using such harmful language that perpetuates stereotypes about women's vulvas. This is a sensitive time in a woman's life and one that is often taken advantage of by plastic surgeons marketing 'mummy makeovers.' This scene just adds to the anxiety that new mothers already face about their changing bodies.

What's more, there's also the impressionable audience of young users on social media.

The cast of Secret Lives of Mormon Wives got their fame through TikTok, a platform that draws the attention of a young audience. Young people are bombarded with idealised beauty standards — so it's disturbing that this scene could add another insecurity to their list.

While cosmetic labiaplasty may be on the rise in Australia, there is still a massive education gap when it comes to what the surgery entails and its long-term implications.

There is still so little research about the female anatomy, we don't know enough about how labiaplasty limits women's ability to feel pleasure and what it may mean later in life, such as during menopause. Our labias are packed with nerve endings, which are essential for sexual pleasure. By cutting off your labia, you're potentially cutting off critical pleasure tools.

Labiaplasty is not as simple as lip filler - and it's irreversable. Let’s stop the normalisation of a very serious surgery.

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