Inscribing Gender on the Body WGS 2500

Inscribing gender on bodies What does it mean when we say that gender is “inscribed on bodies”? “what our bodies mean and how they are experienced is intimately connected to… the society in which we reside” Bodies as reflection of norms/practices and as sites for expression and identity

Examples of How Gender is Inscribed on Bodies Tattooing, body piercing Exercise regimes Cosmetic surgery Body hair removal Clothing What are some other ways that you inscribe gender on your body? How are these “choices” further shaped by your social class, sexuality, race, ethnicity, and age?

How does gender become inscribed on our bodies? What our bodies mean and how they are experienced is intimately connected to the meanings and practices of the society in which we reside Bodies become an extension or a continuation of the social construction of gender Just as gender is a social construction, our bodies are cultural artifacts that are embodied through cultural and media representations

The Social Construction of the Body Social construction: processes through which ideas become culturally accepted Attributes arise out of culture in which the body is given meaning This stands in direct contrast to biological determinism – the idea that genetics or biology determine destiny Physical differences exist, but these are meaningless until social practices transform them into social facts Bodies differ in many ways physiologically, but they are completely transformed by social practices Click here to see one way we are so invested as a culture in creating opposite gendered bodies

The Social Construction of the Body How does social constructionism involve power? Who decides what is a normal and beautiful body? How do we come to internalize these ideals and police our own bodies and actions? Think about how much time you spend removing body hair Watch this video for a humorous but all too true explanation on Why We Wax And now watch this commercial for how men’s hair styles have changed and how men’s body hair is the new frontier! As always, think about how is this shaped by race, social class, and other inequalities

Bodies as Objects and Subjects Bodies are objects Bodies are objectified, disciplined, and controlled by the media, by medicine, capitalism, and patriarchy Bodies are subjects Bodies are the sites of identity and self-expression Bodies are always culturally objectified and voluntarily cultivated Why do you wear makeup? Why do you work out? You choose to do these things to make yourself look and feel better but these “choices” come from somewhere!

Bodies and Freedom As our lives become more complex and we have less power over the way live them, we are encouraged to focus on the body as something we can control and something we use to express our personal identity Our ability to control our bodies has become synonymous with personal freedom But is this really freedom when we are all making similar choices about body modification?

The Social Construction of Women, “Nature” and Bodies Women: nature, earth, body, domestic Men: culture, mind, abstract reason Feminine side of this dichotomy is less valued Domination of culture over nature and mind over body Imperialist notions of “progress” have often involved the taming and conquering of nature in favor of “civilization”

Menstruation What if Men could Menstruate? Exercise: Look online for advertisements for “feminine hygiene products”- tampons, feminine sprays, yeast infection medicines Now look for “masculine hygiene products.” What did you find? What messages do these ads project about women’s bodies in contrast to men’s bodies? Menstrual Activism Click here for an example of menstrual activism And here for some more examples! Why is menstrual activism important?

The Beauty Ideal 54% of women ages 18-40 unhappy with body 13% increase from 1984 80%: mirrors make them feel bad 33% of men unhappy with body Success at work is leading cause of happiness for men and losing weight is number 1 cause of happiness for women (2014 Survey by Glamour Magazine)

Gender and the Beauty Ideal The Double Standard of Beauty Despite increasing focus on male bodies in popular culture, physical appearance is more important to women in terms of how they are treated Double Standard of Aging Women get old, men get distinguished Societal changes and the rise of the metrosexual Metrosexual is about conspicuous consumption Upper/middle class performance of masculinity

Beauty as a Social Construction Contemporary images of female beauty are dynamic and ever- changing What is considered beautiful is a fluid notion What are the dominant US images of beauty? How do standards of beauty differ among various ethnic communities? How have images of beauty changed over time?

Beauty Ideals Illustrate Power in Society Beauty standards are connected to production and consumption of products Beauty, fashion, and cosmetic surgery industries are multi-billion dollar enterprises Beauty is co-constructed by those in positions of power Our beauty and fashion options are constructed by other people Who owns the means of production?

. Beauty reinforces the –Isms Sexism, Ageism, Lookism, Colorism, Racism, & Ableism Beauty norms are constructed with white, thin, able-bodied norm as ideal How do Black and Latina women engage with beauty norms? How is fat a feminist issue? How do disabled women challenge the beauty ideal?

Beauty Standards are Enforced in Complex Ways Self-Objectification: Seeing ourselves though others eyes Does somebody hold a gun to your head and march you off to get laser hair removal at gunpoint? NO! Instead, we internalize beauty ideals and make them our own Girls and women police themselves and regulate one another Disciplinary Body Practices Shaving legs, blowing hair, makeup Involves social control We spend time, money, and effort and these seemingly meaningless practices regulate our lives What are some disciplinary body practices with which you engage?

Body Discipline Contemporary norms of femininity encourage women to stay small, not take up space, and stay young Body hair is unacceptable! We are encouraged to keep our bodies sleek, soft, and hairless How does the trend of removing all body hair reflect ideals of youth? How does this send the message that the “natural” adult woman’s body is gross? How might this sexualize children’s bodies?

Beauty, Consumerism, and Global Capitalism Fashion, cosmetics, and beauty industry sell us the idea that we are never good enough We can always be better But only if we buy their products Never-ending cycle of “self-improvement“ because our bodies are always downgrading Weight-loss industry Cosmetic Surgery Industry

The Unattainable Beauty Ideal Watch this Video 60% of supermodels have an eating disorder and 80% report their employers have asked them to lose weight Even though they are the ideal beauty, they are not beautiful enough Models and celebrities rarely appear on the pages of magazines without being photoshopped first

“flaw” removal

whitewashing In a statement, Elle said that “nothing out of the ordinary” had been done to the photograph.

erasing (and redefining) aging

Bringing sexy back or making “sexy” up?

Consequences of inscribing gender on the body Internal body surveillance By age 6, girls start to express concern about their body shape Close to half of elementary school girls (ages 6-12) are concerned about their weight Eating disorders 90% are women and girls Directly correlated with dieting Different types: Anorexia, Bulimia, Compulsive Eating, Muscle Dysmorphia, Anorexia Athletica

Negotiating and Resisting Beauty Ideals Now that you know the ways that beauty has been constructed by dominant culture and the negative consequences it has for women’s (and increasingly men’s) sense of self, what can you do about it? Let’s be conscious and informed subjects as we make choices about our relationship to beauty and our bodies And remember, health is more important than beauty!

Discussion Forum Questions Look through a women’s fashion magazine. What kinds of messages do these images of women project about women’s bodies? Think about all the disciplinary practices that you indulge in. Discuss the consequences of disciplinary practices for yourself (time, money, energy, self-esteem, physical costs, etc.) and for society (commercialization, profits, commodification, environmental issues, testing on animals, etc.) Why does menstruation tend to be regarded as a negative event in our culture? Why are women encouraged to conceal menstruation? What are some euphemisms for menstruation in our culture? What are the connotations associated with these words and what do we learn? Click here for a video on menstrual euphemisms What is your experience of the relationship between race/ethnicity and the politics of “beauty”? Remember whites have a race and ethnicity too!