A 31-year-old Australian politician had her legs lengthened when she was a 23-year-old lawyer. Hajnal Ban traveled to Russia for the operation, where they broke her legs in four places and stretched them one millimeter every day. After nine months, she had grown about three inches to around 5’4”. Ban said she decided to have the operation because she had been called a midget in school and believed her height would have a damaging effect on her career. We think her attitude is the only thing that would have hindered her.

A friend call me the other day. She was struggling to figure out what was going on with her relationship of a month. He’d do sweet things, like post photos of the two of them on Facebook. Then he’d write curt responses to her e-mails. Normally, she’s extremely self-confident, self-assured, and successful in life. It was disheartening to see her brought down by the unknown of it all.

We all have insecurities don’t we? When I was a teenager, I was hit with a triple dose of the fuglies, getting glasses, braces, and a raging case of acne within a two month period. I don’t think the insecurity that arose during that time has ever gone away completely, though now I worry more about my muffin top than I do about my skin. That said, some women obsess way too much about their so-called “imperfections”. But what about dudes? Do they spend hours starring in the mirror, willing the gigantic whiteheads between their brows to go away? I decided to ask the guys on my IM about men and body insecurities. When none of them brought up the size of their penis, I, of course, asked.