la_marquise | Thought for the day: on public representation and the female body

I'm not a huge fan of sport, apart from tennis, and I'm more than capable of ignoring major sporting events while they're on. I'm also not at all a fan of competitions based on nationality, because to me, it seems they encourage all the worst forms of nationalism, jingoism and stupidity. In some cases, they fan conflict and hatred. There was a discussion of the skills and physical talents needed by sprinters last night on the BBC that I found disturbing, creepy and offensive, because it bordered on racial stereotyping, this time with 'genetics' as an excuse. I am going to write to them about this.

However, my mother came to stay with us last weekend, and she does like to watch the Olympics. So, while she was here, we spent a fair amount of time doing so, particularly track and field, which are her favourites. And I noticed something.

I'm feeling better than I have in years about my body. I'm not particularly fit, I'm not fashionably thin, I'm not pretty. But for the last week or so, I've felt at home in this too-tall, not-thing-enough, not-toned enough, not-young enough (all my usual mantras) body. It *works*. My legs can run -- not fast, but they do it happily. I can bend and reach, twist, turn and shape, I can pick up things and move them and make them, and it's all good. I feel normal.

It's down to all those fantastic women who I see using their talented bodies on the television, all those runners and shot-putters, tennis players, rowers, weight lifters, swimmers, riders, boxers, discus and hammer throwers. They are tall and short, they have broad shoulders or wide hips, they are large and small, they have long legs and short legs, square faces, round ones, oval ones. They're all different. Most of them are un-made up, they show me their everyday faces. The ones who are made-up (with the exception of the gymnasts, who are the sole ones who worry me) are clearly doing so for their own reasons and amusements. They have long hair and short. They are of all races. But what they have in common is that they live openly, unashamedly (as far as I can tell) in their bodies. They aren't airbrushed or photo-shopped, dressed to 'hide figure faults' or posed for specific angles. They just are. And I'm loving it. I love all these bold, brave, talented, *real* women. They make me proud of them, of their skill and talent and courage. They make me happy to have a female body, even though mine is nowhere near as fit, as young. They make me feel that I'm normal, because variety is normal.

I want them on my screen every day, because I love this feeling. I know that in a few weeks it will be back to ideals and horrors -- perfect women and 'failed' ones who are too big, too plain, too old, not good enough. That depresses me. I want younger women than me to see the variety of other women, to see women who love who they are, women who are clearly talented and gifted and wonderful without the trailing back-stories that tv drama demands. I want us all to feel that it's all right to be us, in all our sizes and races, ages and shapes. Thank you, Ye Shiwen, Tirunesh DiBaba, Shelly-Ann Fraser Price, Jessica Ennis, Shara Proctor, Nicola Adams, Gabrielle Douglas, Sanya Richards-Ross, Nadzeya Ostapchuk, Joanna Rowsell, Zhou Lulu, and all your sister athletes. You are making the world a happier place for other women.
And I'm really looking forward to the paralympics and even more awesome women.

Skirt of the day: green silk wrap.

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The media debate surrounding it is deeply disturbing in many ways -- and the gymnasts worry me (also the synchronised swimmers) because they clearly have to be 'pretty' as well as talented. And what happened to Caster Semenya -- and at this games the questions a man raised over Ye Shiwen -- are misogyny at its worst.
What I am loving is the women themselves. They're boxing because they want to. Shelly-Ann Fraser-Price's yellow hair-ribbon isn't high-tech, it isn't there to help her performance; it's clearly there for her, because it makes her happy. They wear their scars openly, too -- look at Rowsell. And that I love. Many of them seem to know who they are.
I'm really looking forward to the paralympics, because there will be many more awesome women.

I certainly understand knowing who you are big time. It comes from having to fight to be who you are. :o)

Oh yes.

This, this, a thousand times this. I have reached the age where, when people suggest that perhaps I ought to be a little less assertive, direct, or aggressive, my response is "Honey, I fought too hard to get this way. I'm not stopping now."

Re the main post: I think "being comfortable in your body" is a necessary requirement for athletics. I never realized it until a couple of good friends pointed it out. I am aware of my body. I know which muscles are doing things, how my weight shifts from one foot to the other, when my thighs and butt transfer effort to my calves and shins as I climb stairs. The line of power from my hand on a railing, along my arm, through my shoulders and back, down my other arm, to the other hand which is carrying a 28-lb box of cat litter that I'm hauling up the stairs. I listen to my heartbeat inside my ears. I listen to the rasp of my breathing (alas, raspier as I've gotten older and fatter).

I've always been good at sports and dancing, and I was a competitive fencer in college. My dad was athletic and encouraged me and my sister to run around and play sports from the time we were young. We got the neurological connections early, and the notion of "know what your body is doing" so you can do whatever it is better.

My friends who are less comfortable in their bodies are so in part, I think, because they don't know what their bodies can do. They don't live in their bodies--their bodies are at best a support system for their heads and sensory apparatus, and a means to get around and use tools. They aren't aware of their bodies moment to moment.

I should perhaps explain that as our mutual friend is aware, I was born with a body and mind which did not exactly agree- PAIS in utero left me confused and in need of adjustments to said body via major surgery, hence having to fight to be who I am. you'd be amazed (or perhaps not) how many people take it upon themselves to know more about my body than I do!

Sport was used as an excuse to bully and abuse in a school for testosterone laden young males- was I ever in the wrong place! I've never really got on with it since.

Edited 2012-08-10 16:40 (UTC)

Sport is all too often used as a means of bullying and abuse and shaming. I think you're pretty amazing.

Awww Blush!

Dunno about amazing, but at least I have a life worth the living which I doubted I ever would as a teen!

I have definitely been privileged to be born in a body that generally works well with both itself and the brain/mind therein. My added privilege of being encouraged to foster that happy connection rather than merely tolerate it makes a very big difference, I think.

My experience of fighting to be who I am is obviously quite different from yours; the disagreement wasn't between my body and brain, but between my brain and what other people think my brain ought to be.

Oh I got that bit as well! I'm a military historian and a lot of people back when I was at uni didn't think women should be military historians. Wrong!

Mind you, there were those at my primary school who didn't think I should be left handed..........

Yeesh! I had an AWESOME ex-Marine as prof for my two Mil Hist classes, and he is why I ended up with a degree in history. I hear horror stories of people whose writing profs scoffed at their genre; meanwhile mine were super supportive of my SF/F.

I don't know what magical bubble I grew up in, but I'm so grateful for it, and full of admiration of people who had to fight much harder than I did.

'If you do oral history, you won't be able to relate to the vets' I was told. Um, I'm the daughter of a bootneck, married to the son and grandson of highland regiment infantrymen and was bought up and live in a barracks town in a house that belonged to a WW1 fighter ace and have a lot of squaddies and squaddies' partners as friends. I know what they call 'the bullshit' pretty well.

As it happens, vets and I get on like a house on fire! I have this thing called respect for their experiences. :o)

And I like tea..............

I think one of the really cruel things we do to young women and girls is to foster in them that sense of distance from and shame about their bodies.
I wish I could carry 28lbs of cat litter! I'm impressed.

That's why the other hand grips the railing: it's the anchor for a long rope-and-lever system made out of muscles and joints. Longer system-->Archimedes's law of the lever-->slightly easier to haul heavy thing up stairs. This also puts the carrying force through the shoulders and upper back, rather than the more vulnerable lower back.

I have RSI in my wrists, so carrying anything heavy hurts, sadly.

Ooh. No fun at all.

I was really weirded out watching female gymnastics followed by male. The way they were presented, and the moves they have to make in between are so different.

This post is very true, it is so wonderful seeing such a wonderful range of women and I agree the paralypics will be great as well, with loads more awesome women.

Yes, the contrast between strong, plainly dressed male gymnast doing obviously acrobatic moves and young women in eye make and sequins being acrobatic but with added cutesiness.... Not healthy.

Thought for the day: on public representation and the female body

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