The Human Form

The Body, Le Corps, Der Körper, El Cuerpo, Il Corpo, 身体, وكانت الهيئة, Jednostka

        Hundreds of thousands of ways to communicate it, express it, display it, depict it, objectify it, protect it, utilize it. It's the one thing all seven billion of us share as a species, the most easily detectable commonality-- the form which sets us apart from other animals here on earth. So, as we've (mostly me... sorry to disappoint) now decided a week into September, this month's theme will deal with all aspects of the human body. Seems vague and strangely biological, right? Well, it most certainly can be. If you relate to your body on a strictly anatomical and molecular processing level, then please, for God's sake, do tell! I know I'd be interested to hear. For all us others out their who have come to develop an, at once uniquely personal and yet somehow commonly shared, relationship to our exterior appearances, let us commence an open discourse with regards to this highly peculiar subject! (i.e. do dogs ever think about how trim their waists are?).

    I became quite interested in the body at a very young age-- commonly thinking of it as my armor, my protection against the grass I rolled in, the rocks I tripped on, the trees I climbed. As as a child my body was simply a physical extension of my overactive imagination. I didn't judge it, didn't overanalyze it, didn't worry about my heart rate, my breath pace, my muscle tone, my diet, my BMI, or what others thought of its shape or size. This changed almost immediately with the entrance into middle school and the realization of what being a "hot" girl meant to young boys. As shallow and limiting as this may sound, my body was no longer my armor, but rather my goods, it seemed. This led to my own perception that the body, at some point in young adulthood, transforms from it's true intentions as our outside shell into an exchangeable commodity embedded with a plethora of complex and self-created meanings. As soon as my own self-image was jaded, I began noticing corporeal depictions in art, in literature, in music, in movies, in magazines, in fashion, and in my day-to-day existence. I know my own views are unique and unhealthy, and, trust me, I will certainly go further into this as the month progresses (don't want to scare anyone off too soon!).

    I'm quite aware that men and women view their bodies much differently in terms of their uses and their overall self-images. Sex, age, sexuality, ethnicity, social class, mental health, etc all play directly and indirectly into our psyches (though this certainly varies considering the country into which you're born). This is why I hope to get a good amount of responses here this month. I'd love to find out what body image means to everyone out there--- Basically, how do you all define and feel about your mind's relationship to your physical appearance? Is it mostly positive or negative? Is it effected by your friends? Your family? Societal norms and pressures? Internal dialogues and delusions you're too embarrassed to share with others? Is it based in beautification? Athleticism? Laziness? Or sheer necessity and basic functioning to get you where you need to go? I'm simply fascinated by how our thoughts regarding our physique can at various times limit us, uplift us, destroy us, free us, or give us confidence.

    Clearly anyone can write about absolutely anything this month, even if it still vaguely relates to the body-- a cool story about an injury, a time your body failed you, a time your body's strength surprised you, etc. Basically, anything involving the human form is accepted here! I look forward to getting a variety of opinions!