Section 2 > Body image
Faye studied herself in the mirror.
Three layers of stomach rested one on top of the other, symmetric as tiers of a wedding cake. Over the abdominal flesh hung her breasts, spreading out a little as they descended, springy in spite of their heft. Her thighs were so thick as to hide almost completely the triangle of pubic hair. She rotated a little, holding her arms slightly apart from her body, the way a dancer gracefully might. The buttocks were dotted with tiny indentations puckering the skin. Upholstery tacks, Mark called them. Her curves jiggled as she moved—she flapped her arms a little in fun—and yet she noticed the taut pull at the end of each bounce, as though her body mass were suspended against gravity by invisible cables.
The purpose of this section is to explore psychological and cultural attitudes toward the body. The cultural and political underpinnings of medical issues will
be explored further in the final unit of this curriculum. |
