Adriana Totino – Post 1
Are Stilettos Modern
Foot Binding?
Body modification and alteration
has become a significant attribute to many cultures and is often included in
rituals and celebrations. Modification can be defined by countless acts
including piercing, tattoos, scarification, foot binding, and suspension.
Behavior such as breast implementation and reconstruction – plastic surgery, is
defined as a form of body modification, just as the practices mentioned.
Through the scope of an American, suffering through plastic surgeries may not
be ideal, but is generally accepted. Americans feel that if there is a way to
increase self-worth and happiness then it should be done. Differences in
cultural norms make unfamiliar rituals seem outrageous or extreme, but one can
make biased judgments towards any culture or behavior.
In the United States, it is
expected of a woman to wear heels. As demonstrated in the TedTalk presented by
Julie Bertrand[1],
wearing heels forces a woman’s back to curve, accentuating areas of sexual
appeal (ie, the buttock). Aside from improved aesthetics, wearing high heels
makes a woman appear and feel stronger and more confident. Women tend to wear
heels when they are trying to make a positive or professional impression. Slipping
on the right pair of shoes can guarantee a good day. It may sound superficial,
but most women would agree that heels not only adds a few inches of height, but
forces them to stand tall with shoulders back. In regards to psychology, heels
fulfill a lack of confidence and secure positive social interactions.
In the workplace, wearing heels allows
shorter women to be empowered and have a strong physical presence, especially
when surrounded by men of larger stature. Shoe choice is not categorized as a
modification in my mind because it is not permanent, but to be fair it is
considered a norm in my culture. It is just as easy to take them off, as it is
to put them on. Furthermore, at the end of the day, it is just a pair of shoes
and no extreme alterations have been implicated on the body aside from a
blister, or two. Medical issues mentioned by Bertrand such as bunions or
sciatic intrude over a long period of time from extensive strain.
Unfortunately,
I was not in attendance for the class discussion on foot binding, but I am
posting based on independent study of the material, and the thoughts of
classmates. Prior to this week I had limited knowledge on foot binding in Asian
cultures acquired through film clips and perhaps journal articles. I consider
myself American with Italian heritage and carry those traditions. I have not
been raised on any extreme acts, aside from those revolving the ingestion of
not-so-common meals. Foot binding is not heard of in the United States, or
Italy for that matter, so I have not had a firsthand experience with it.
It is shameful that women need to
subject themselves to such extreme behavior in order to be in line with their
culture. Whether it is more similar to foot binding or wearing high heels,
rituals and behaviors that are gender-specific should be a thing of the past.
Modern times are supposed to be revolved around equality and love for one’s
natural self. It is impossible to convince a teenager she does not need to wear
makeup when women around the globe are partaking in far more permanent and
painful behaviors to enhance their feminine essence and appeal.
No comments:
Post a Comment