This blog is created by students from Clemson University's spring 2009 course Women's Studies 459 - "Building Bodies: Women's Bodies in Theory and Practice." This class explores the construction of bodies from various methodological perspectives, focusing on five specific areas: theories of bodies; bodies and genders and sexes; “misbehaving” bodies; politics of bodies; and constructing bodies. We welcome comments and contributions to our posts and discussions.

13 January 2009

I Wish I Were As Invisible As You Make Me Feel

i wish i was as invisible as you make me feel Pictures, Images and Photos




Building on our discussion in class today on "what is a body", I think we all concurred that the body is a physical, tangible "thing" that others use to identify us and we use when building our identities of ourselves.


Our bodies say things about us that we don't necessarily regard, or feel, as part of our identities. For instance, my body may appear aged, but I may perceive myself as young. My body may appear overweight, but I usually perceive myself as thin (that's why I keep taking those smaller clothes in the dressing room and then find myself perplexed when they don't fit!). My body doesn't necessarily convey my "true" self as I view "self" to be. My body is not all that makes me. My persona is made up of both elements, the body and mind, and you cannot fully view me as I see me until you add the element of the mind. I think of this like a reflection in a pool of water rather than a glass mirror. The general image is there (I pick my clothes, style my hair, wear my make up based upon my personal concept of who I am and what appeals to me), but the image is distorted, it is unclear.


Unfortunately, one cannot get to know my mind until one accepts my body. You must first accept my physical form before you will choose to interact with me. (We say "get to know me.")


Once people get to know us, they no longer seem to identify us through our physical appearances. They identify with our minds (personalities). (Think about the first day in class and your first impression you had of your classmates. Has that changed now that we have begun to voice our thoughts in class? Have they defied the expectation you placed on them through only seeing their bodies?)


I placed a picture at the top of this page that originally triggered my thought process. Does she feel invisible because her image (body) was rejected by someone or her mind? I think her lament is really "You don't know me. Not knowing me is the same as not seeing me." If this is what she's saying, then what does that statement really reflect about the value do of the body? That it is a secondary component to our identity rather than the primary? Does our desire for others to interact with us, accept our thoughts, share conversation, understand our personalities diminish the value of the body? If this is what we value, then is the body merely the means to a way? Or am I distorting this value with my feminine perspective? If males do not value the intimacy of this relationship (knowing and understanding someone's persona), then do they value the body differently? Do we as females inherently understand that males will give our bodies greater value and we strive to present a physical manifestation that is appealing in order to initiate that intimate contact we desire and then feel a greater sense of rejection of self when they devalue our identities? Do we feel invisible (as though we don't matter) when someone doesn't validate that we (me as I perceive me) matter?


I know that's a pretty wild train of thought, but I'm curious what everyone else's thoughts are on this philosophy?

1 comment:

  1. I think the picture above shows the way a lot of people feel. I get the image of someone being so happy to talk on the phone but refusing to go out in public. Hiding your physical forces you to show who you are mentally. I don't think she is rejecting her own body as much as she is wanting us to maybe reject her body? I think everyone has the moment where they wish their body was separate from them so that their mind could shine through. Maybe that's why many people are trying to unite their mind and body.

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