Prompt 7

In chapter three, Visibly Queer, Pitts argues that queering of the body "cannot reflect true self invention, but rather complex negotiations between self and social" (page 92). I believe this argument also applies to normative body modifications. For example, consider fitness and exercise and the aspiration of being thin. Every person's "true" self is not thin. For many individuals, it is genetically coded that they are not to be thin. Yet, everyone aspires to be thin and feels like they should be, because we are brainwashed to believe thin is beautiful. Pitts argument suggests a "negotiation between self and social" and this appears in the above example. The social factor is society's pressure to be thin and this is compromised with self. Though there is a negotiation between the two, society has a greater influence when it comes to normative body modifications. Attempting to meet society's values of beauty leads to normative body modification, whereas, in contrast, attempting to go against society's values is what leads to non-normative body modifications. So, in my opinion, the negotiation between self and social is overwhelmed by the social aspect. I agree with Pitts, true self invention is not possible. Normative modifications do not reflect one's true self, but instead is a way of fitting into the normative community. So, from this we can get a definition of a normative community. It is a community that tries to meet society's standards or definitions. In extreme situations, people would undergo harsh conditions to be a part of this community and be looked at as beautiful and thin. So, though many of us are quick to judged the non-normative community, the sad truth is that we are use to the standards of the normative community, so we no longer see much wrong with it.

Prompt 6

My experience with formal writing has always been in an English classroom. Formal writing, in my opinion, has too many unnecessary restrictions. When I write English papers, I always feel as though I cannot fully express myself because my expressions are not within the "requirements" of the paper. I believe formal writing is necessary in the English classroom because if everyone is told to write the same, then they can easily be evaluated by the same rubric. If we were allowed to write creatively, how could one paper be judged as better than the other. In contrast, informal writing is associated with self expression. Informal writing ranges from simple grooming habits such as hair and make-up to more permanent writings such as tattoos. The thing about informal writing of the body is that it is always accompanied with preconceived attitudes and stereotypes. Before this class, I admit, I belonged to the group of people who judged others based on their drastic body modifications. I think it is because I never understood why people permanently modified themselves. In my opinion, doing one's hair and nails is simply taking care of themselves and portraying an image of cleanliness and approachability to the world. I now understand that people actually have really emotional or spiritual reasons for their modifications. They are trying to remove themselves from a certain societal group, even if that group is dirty, ugly, normal. I believe there are limits to authorship over the body. For example, I belong to the Black group, there is nothing I can do to modify my body and remove myself from this group. These limits are necessary because there are always things that are out of our control and that is how it should be.

Prompt 5

The bodies presented in the National Geographic exhibit connect body modifications to spiritual and cultural acts. This interpretation of body modification surprised me. Before this class, I honestly thought people modified their bodies for the look of it or a feeling of remembrance. I know a lot of people who have tattooed the names of family members on their bodies, or tattooed pictures that had a personal significance to them. So, the National Geographic exhibit opened my eyes to a new perspective on body modification. While looking through the pictures, I admired those bodies and the deep meaning behind each. The modifications of each body not only means something to that specific person, but also means something to all of their kind. These modifications are in essence tradition to that culture. Then, it hit me, this admiration is what Victoria Pitts speaks of. We admire bodies that are exotic. The bodies in Marketplace's article did not receive my admiration because they seemed too normal and they are what I am use to. Marketplace speaks of modifications done for summer and the problems with finding a job when a body is openly tattooed. The mortgage broker who is deciding to get some of his tattoos removed, deeply contrasts the National Geographic exhibit, because it emphasizes that the tattoo's did not mean much to him to begin with, if he can easily remove them. In my opinion, body modification is still an exotic practice if the person explains their reasoning to be linked to a spiritual or traditional custom. Also, if the method of modifying is something that is unusual, such as the man in Burkina Faso's scarification or the women Bathing in Brazil, who recieved her marking with a small stick.

Prompt 4

Dove's "Real Beauty" campaign is attempting to make a societal change. Dove claims that every person is beautiful and applies this concept to their campaign by using models that are out of the ordinary. Not that I still use the world "models". I believe Dove engages in accepted views of beauty but simply broadens the definition of beauty so that is is applicable to a wider range of people. Consider Dove's "Pro-Age" video and "wrinkled? wonderful?" print advertisement. This ad is a specific example of how Dove is expanding its definition of beauty to include an older age group. It is a radical move, but if Dove claims every woman is beautiful, why did women have to audition to be in their commercial? Why couldn't four random older women off the street be used for this ad? Each woman in the "Pro-Age" commercial is indisputably beautiful for their age. Three out of the four women have flat stomachs to the point that even when they are sitting down no fat can be seen! Obviously Dove is still abiding by society's definition of beauty. It is actually just exposing society's changing view. Society no longer thinks an extremely skinny model is beautiful, now curvy women such as Beyonce and Jennifer Lopez are desired body types. The print ad "wrinkled? wonderful?" presents a wonderfully ages Black woman whose smile is the focus of the picture. Plus the truth is she has very few wrinkles! The Dove campaign is not as controversial as it appears. Each video and print advertisement presents beautiful women. Dove has not dare reject society's view of beauty.

Short Writting 2

Curtis' Apache portrait argues that the Native American male body is not known. Traveler's have told stories of the Native male body, yet looking at Curtis' portrait, it is not the Native body seen in the traveler's explanations, therefore proving there is a lot that is unknown about the Native male body. The Native American male is the subject of this photo because he is arranged in the center of the frame. The focus on the Native American body is enforced through the background. In the background, it is unclear whether the scene in front of the Native American consists of mountains or trees. Also, notice that there is no water current in the distance, but surrounding the Native American male body, the current is very apparent. Just around the Native body there is a contrasting attention to detail, regarding the water and the rocks, that is not existent beyond him. The attention to detail surrounding the Native body focuses the attention of the viewer on him. The Native body is looking away, but the viewer is unable to see what he is so intrigued by. His gaze beyond the frame causes the viewer to gaze beyond the frame and imagine what he could be looking at. Since Curtis was trying to capture the last of the Native Americans before they faded, the viewer can imagine that the Native body is looking at his tribe as they gather there belongings to travel away from their home town. The way the Native body is clothe resembles how the body was depicted in the Travel Writings. He is very bare, only covering what is essential. Though the body lacks clothing, it is ornamented with a hat on its head. The hat seems out of the ordinary Apache attire and it makes the viewer wonder if this is a symbol of colonization. Does this hat symbolize the travelers that came to Apache territory and the changes they are making? Another detail that questions the influence of the travelers is the object he is holding in his hand. Is it soap? Is this the Native body before he cleans himself? Such a simple detail could completely change the picture. The posture of the Native body shows him as strong and confident. He stands upright, not bent over, not looking as if he is hierarchically below another body of people. Lastly, there is something mystical about this picture. The Native body seems to be standing on water, in many ways he is part of nature. The view of the Native body presented in Curtis' portrait very different from the Native body that has been depicted. The Native body seems strong, confident, calm and reminiscent. This is very different from the marginalized, uncivilized bodies previous travel writers told of.

Link to portrait: http://www.flickr.com/photos/12295975@N05/1355857004/in/pool-487771@N21

Prompt 3

Both portraits argue the civilized nature of the bodies they consist of. The White males and Native Americans can stand side by side in harmony. The White traveler has always been depicted as civilized, so the change is seen from the "Other" body. The Natives are no longer depicted as barbarous beings. Now, they are depicted as calm and intelligent because they are observing the exchange between the two groups and seem to fully understand what is going on. The Natives are shown with their usual lack of clothing, and in my opinion this establishes a class difference. Though the two groups are being civil with one another, this does not mean they are on the same level of the hierarchy. The Natives nakedness puts them at their usual place below the White travelers. In West's portrait (first picture), the presence of the travelers appears more dominant than that of the Natives. The lighting of the picture causes the Native Americans to blend into the background, whereas the traveler's white faces stand out. Also the face that West's portrait has White travelers sitting at a table off in the distance makes them seem like they are taking over the territory and establishing themselves there. Whereas in Hick's portrait it seems like the traveler's are foreigners and that the Natives dominate the portrait. The first person the viewer encounters in Hick's portrait is the Native American woman with her children. She is comfortably sitting in her environment and traveler's do not appear to be threatening. Therefore, I conclude both West and Hick depicted the traveler and Native bodies as civilized, but West felt the travelers were taking over the territory whereas Hick saw the travelers as mere visitors to the Natives territory.