(no subject)

[la_vie_noire]

Beyond the Binary: Body Image.

Most representations of people labeled as not male and not female are very similar, and tend to share some basic characteristics. They are thin or slender. They have flat chests and narrow hips. They tend to have more angular features. When people are asked to picture someone ‘androgynous’ or to visualize a person of ‘indeterminate’ gender, this is usually the mental image that arises. Note, please, that many of these traits are traditionally associated with masculinity. Nonbinary people can occupy a range of gender identities and bodies, including bodies like this, but people often assume that all of us share this appearance and this specific body type, that people who do not look this way are somehow faking or pretending.

Someone like me, with fat, broad hips, breasts, and soft features, is read as female, because I do not fit the image of a nonbinary person.[...]

Feminism discusses body image and normative trends about bodies a lot. Sometimes it even tosses a few scraps to trans women when discussions about body image take place. But feminism is silent on nonbinary people; there isn’t a huge body of work talking about nonbinary body image and, specifically, how antifemininity ties in with the relationships we have with our bodies. And how fighting antifemininity in feminism might, just possibly, make the world safer for us.

And this is the reason I basically ignore ontd_feminism lately. (And that I basically ignore everything because I have no time lately, but you get me.)

Comments

Hmm...

[ysabetwordsmith]

I think you've got a point about body image and diversity between the poles. The only other version I've seen widely is someone with breasts, hips, and some kind of 'package' that resembles (closely or vaguely) male genitals. I'll have to keep an eye out for more examples. Thanks for the tip.

Re: Hmm...

[la_vie_noire]

It's not my point, it's actually the OP's. But yes, for a lot of people it seems that calling a female-looking body, non-binary means having a penis. That's also a problem for a lot of trans women whom society decides to call things like, "in-between" because they have a penis.

[surpassingly]

And this is the reason I basically ignore ontd_feminism lately.

Sigh, I remember I used to check it daily and read all the posts, and then it started to wear on me for many reasons I still can't quite articulate.

/but, hugs <333 I hope your days have been going well.

[la_vie_noire]

Oh yes, I used to read it, but then suddenly it was full of cis, white, middle-classed feminists who really didn't want to hear any other voices, or just wanted to be "educated." Then I got tired.

*huuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuugs* Also hoping the ebst for you! <333333