Body Policing: Etymology, Meanings and Concept
Etymology:
The term “body policing” has roots in the intersection of social discourse and identity politics. The word “policing” implies a regulatory or controlling function, suggesting an authoritative surveillance over the human body. The compound “body policing” emerged within feminist and sociological contexts to describe societal norms, expectations, and critiques directed at individuals based on their physical appearance, often reinforcing established power dynamics and gender roles.
Meanings and Concept:
- Appearance Norms: It encompasses the imposition of societal standards regarding physical appearance, pressuring individuals to conform to predefined norms of beauty, weight, and physical attributes.
- Gender Expectations: It involves the scrutiny and judgment of individuals based on their adherence to prescribed gender norms, reinforcing stereotypes and perpetuating rigid expectations about how different genders should look and behave.
- Intersectionality: It intersects with various aspects of identity, including race, class, and ability, contributing to a complex web of expectations and judgments that individuals face based on their multifaceted identities.
- Media Influence: Media representations play a significant role in body policing, as popular culture often promotes idealized images, fostering unrealistic standards that can lead to self-esteem issues and body dissatisfaction.
- Self-Esteem Impact: The concept acknowledges the psychological impact of external judgments on an individual’s self-esteem, contributing to body image issues, mental health challenges, and the perpetuation of harmful beauty ideals.
- Social Construction: It highlights the socially constructed nature of beauty standards, emphasizing how these norms are shaped by cultural, historical, and contextual factors rather than being inherent or universally applicable.
- Weight Stigma: It extends to the stigmatization of individuals based on their body weight, reinforcing harmful stereotypes and contributing to discriminatory practices in various societal domains, including healthcare and employment.
Understanding the etymology and meanings of body policing is essential for fostering critical discussions about the impact of societal expectations on individuals’ bodies and promoting body positivity and inclusivity.
Body Policing: Definition of a Theoretical Term
Body policing refers to the social enforcement and regulation of norms and expectations regarding individuals’ physical appearance, often rooted in societal standards of beauty and gender norms. It involves the surveillance and judgment of bodies, perpetuating stereotypes and reinforcing power dynamics. This theoretical concept underscores the impact of external scrutiny on individuals’ self-esteem, contributing to the perpetuation of unrealistic beauty ideals and potential harm to mental well-being.
Body Policing: Theorists, Works and Argument
| Theorist | Works and Arguments | Year of Publication |
| Naomi Wolf | The Beauty Myth: Argues that societal beauty norms serve as a tool for social control, perpetuating gender inequality and limiting women’s empowerment. | 1990 |
| Susan Bordo | Unbearable Weight: Explores the cultural and social implications of body image, highlighting the influence of media and consumer culture on shaping bodily ideals. | 1993 |
| Paula Black | The Beauty Conundrum: Discusses the intersectionality of beauty standards, emphasizing how they affect individuals differently based on race, class, and gender. | 2013 |
| Shari L. Dworkin | Body Panic: Examines the social and political aspects of body policing, particularly in the context of public health campaigns and the regulation of marginalized bodies. | 2009 |
| Renee Engeln | Beauty Sick: Explores the impact of societal beauty norms on individuals’ well-being, addressing the psychological and emotional consequences of body policing. | 2017 |
| Judith Butler | Bodies That Matter: Offers a theoretical framework on performativity and the construction of bodies, contributing to discussions on how bodies are regulated and disciplined. | 1993 |
Body Policing: Key Characteristics With Examples
- Appearance Standards:
- Society enforces specific norms and expectations regarding physical appearance, dictating ideals of beauty, weight, and overall aesthetics.
- Gendered Expectations:
- It often involves reinforcing traditional gender roles and expectations, pressuring individuals to conform to prescribed notions of femininity or masculinity.
- Intersectionality:
- The concept acknowledges that body policing is not uniform but intersects with various identity factors, including race, ethnicity, class, and ability.
- Media Influence:
- Media platforms play a significant role in perpetuating body policing by promoting unrealistic beauty standards, contributing to body dissatisfaction.
- Social Comparisons:
- Individuals may engage in constant comparisons with others, feeling compelled to conform to societal ideals and facing judgment if they deviate from the perceived norm.
- Weight Stigma:
- Body policing extends to weight-based judgments, where individuals may face discrimination or bias based on their body size, reinforcing harmful stereotypes.
- Mental Health Impact:
- External scrutiny and pressure can have adverse effects on mental health, contributing to issues like body dysmorphia, eating disorders, and low self-esteem.
- Regulation of Personal Choices:
- Body policing extends beyond appearance, regulating personal choices such as clothing, hairstyle, and other expressions of individual identity.
- Institutional Impact:
- Body policing manifests in institutions such as healthcare, where individuals may face biased treatment based on their appearance, potentially impacting overall well-being.
- Cyberbullying and Social Media:
- The rise of social media platforms has amplified body policing, with individuals facing judgment, criticism, or bullying for their appearance in online spaces.
Body Policing: Relevance in Literary Theories
| Literary Theory | Relevance to Body Policing |
| Feminist Literary Theory | Feminist Literary Theory is pertinent to the exploration of body policing as it scrutinizes how literature mirrors and perpetuates gender norms. It critically examines societal expectations imposed on individuals based on their gender, including norms related to appearance and physicality. |
| Postcolonial Literary Theory | The relevance of Postcolonial Literary Theory to body policing lies in its examination of power dynamics, identity, and cultural representations. It offers insights into how colonial histories and power structures influence perceptions of bodies, beauty ideals, and standards across diverse cultures. |
| Queer Theory | Queer Theory is significant in the context of body policing as it focuses on non-normative identities and challenges societal norms. This theory explores how literature reflects and contests conventional expectations around bodies, particularly in relation to gender and sexuality. |
| Cultural Studies | Cultural Studies is applicable to the study of body policing by analyzing how cultural discourses shape societal norms. It delves into how literature reflects and contributes to the construction and dissemination of beauty ideals and expectations surrounding the body. |
| Psychoanalytic Literary Theory | Psychoanalytic Literary Theory provides insights into how literature reflects and critiques societal pressures related to body image and appearance. It offers a psychological perspective on the impact of body policing in narratives by exploring the unconscious and psychological aspects of characters. |
In each literary theory, the complete sentences now elaborate on the relevance of the theory to the study within the context of literature.
Body Policing: Application in Critiques
- Short Story: “The Birthmark” by Nathaniel Hawthorne
- Application of Body Policing: In “The Birthmark,” the protagonist’s obsession with his wife’s small birthmark becomes a manifestation of it. The story critiques the societal expectation of physical perfection and the consequences of attempting to conform to an idealized standard, ultimately leading to tragedy.
- Poem: “Barbie Doll” by Marge Piercy
- Application of Body Policing: Piercy’s poem “Barbie Doll” directly addresses the societal pressures on women to conform to idealized beauty standards. The narrative traces the life of a girl who faces relentless body policing, illustrating the damaging effects of societal expectations on self-esteem and individual identity.
- Short Story: “The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson
- Application of Body Policing: “The Lottery” remains relevant for its depiction of a community engaging in collective violence against an individual, serving as a stark commentary on the societal enforcement of brutal traditions. The act of stoning can be seen as the ultimate form of it, illustrating the destructive consequences of blindly adhering to societal norms.
- Poem: “Mirror” by Sylvia Plath
- Application of Body Policing: Plath’s poem “Mirror” explores the impact of societal expectations on self-perception. The mirror, as an objective observer, reflects the speaker’s changing appearance over time, highlighting the scrutiny individuals face regarding their bodies. The poem delves into the psychological aspects of body image and the struggle for self-acceptance.
In these revised critiques, different short stories and poems are examined for their representation of it, providing varied perspectives on how societal expectations and norms impact characters in literary works.
Body Policing: Relevant Terms
| Term | Definition |
| Performativity | Societal norms reinforced through repeated behaviors, shaping individual identities. |
| Fat-shaming | Criticizing or stigmatizing individuals based on body weight, reinforcing thin norms. |
| Idealized Beauty | Societal standards promoting a specific concept of physical attractiveness. |
| Double Standards | Unequal expectations or judgments based on gender, contributing to body scrutiny. |
| Internalized Oppression | Acceptance of societal norms, leading individuals to police their bodies. |
| Appearance Norms | Societal expectations for physical appearance, including beauty and grooming. |
| Thin Privilege | Unearned advantages granted to those with a socially acceptable body size. |
| Ageism | Discrimination based on age, influencing societal perceptions of body standards. |
| Ableism | Discrimination against individuals with disabilities, impacting body perceptions. |
| Body Dysmorphia | Mental health condition with obsessive focus on perceived flaws, exacerbated by beauty norms. |
Body Policing: Suggested Readings
- Black, Paula. The Beauty Conundrum. Publisher, Year.
- Bordo, Susan. Unbearable Weight: Feminism, Western Culture, and the Body. University of California Press, 1993.
- Butler, Judith. Bodies That Matter: On the Discursive Limits of Sex. Routledge, 1993.
- Dworkin, Shari L. Body Panic: Gender, Health, and the Selling of Fitness. NYU Press, 2009.
- Engeln, Renee. Beauty Sick: How the Cultural Obsession with Appearance Hurts Girls and Women. Harper, 2017.
- Piercy, Marge. Barbie Doll. Scribd.
- Plath, Sylvia. Ariel. Harper & Row, 1965.
- Wolf, Naomi. The Beauty Myth. Anchor Books, 1991.