a synthetic polymer made from silicon, oxygen, and other elements, used in sealants and implants
coined in 1863 from silicon + -one suffix, though the chemical structure doesn't actually contain ketones
Don't confuse silicone with silicon - silicone is the rubbery polymer you find in kitchen spatulas and caulk, while silicon is the element that makes computer chips possible! The naming was actually a bit of a chemical mistake.
Silicone in popular discourse conflated with cosmetic surgery on women's bodies; the term itself became gendered shorthand for 'artificial femininity,' rarely applied to male enhancements.
Use materially (polymer composition) without gendered subtext. If discussing bodies, apply language equally across genders.
Women's body modifications medicalized/scrutinized; men's athletic/surgical enhancements normalized. Language reflects unequal judgment.
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