Faigley, in his introduction to the readings on body language, tells us that body image is socially constructed; that is, society dictates how we read and interpret the body. Western notions of beauty, for example, are largely determined by cultural standards espoused by pop culture and the media. Interestingly, however, many of the readings we will discuss over the next two weeks suggest the body is often mobilized to construct its own meaning. Young adults involved in the Punk movement of the 1970s, for example, donned safety pins through their lips and noses as a means of revolting against what they perceived to be an oppressive system of cultural values, a system which privileged and rewarded conformity. Today, body piercings are commonplace and rarely carry the political connotations of the past. Why? In this cycle, we will examine how body images are constructed by both society and the individual. More importantly, we will explore the relation between the body and hegemony, the prevalent, but invisible, ideology that maintains status quo in our society.
Remember that your claim must be contestable and it should not be based solely on value judgments. The readings above provide excellent models of arguments that make good claims and support them.