Loading...
Body/Image
Bacon, Hannah
Bacon, Hannah
Advisors
Other Contributors
Affiliation
EPub Date
Publication Date
2024-09-30
Submitted Date
Collections
Files
Loading...
Book Chapter - AAM
Adobe PDF, 228.86 KB
Other Titles
Abstract
According to feminist liberation theologian Marcella Althaus-Reid, if there is one thing that feminist theologies can claim in common it is that ‘the body always takes charge: our armpits come first’, more specifically our ‘bushy’ armpits. No doubt the choice of armpits here is deliberate by Althaus-Reid given the way this part of women’s bodies has been disparagingly associated with feminism and with the western feminist project of resisting restrictive beauty standards. To begin feminist theologies with women’s ‘bushy armpits’ is to begin with a confidence in women’s flesh and with a preparedness to confront and transgress social and religious norms that contain women’s bodies and mark them as disgusting. This chapter explores the ways in which Christian feminist theologies have approached the body, paying particular attention to feminist theological discussion around body image, especially concerning beauty, fatness and thinness. It first considers how feminist theologies have exposed, challenged and reclaimed aspects of Christian body theology before considering how feminist theologians have explored body image and women’s struggles for bodily integrity.
Citation
Bacon, H. (2024). Body/Image. In K. Handasyde, S. Burns & K. Massam (Eds.), Feminist theologies: A companion. SCM Press.
Publisher
SCM Press
Journal
Research Unit
DOI
PubMed ID
PubMed Central ID
Type
Book chapter
Language
Description
Series/Report no.
ISSN
EISSN
ISBN
9780334061205