“The norms of femininity suppress the body potential of women. We grow up learning that the feminine body is soft, not muscular, passive, incapable, vulnerable. Our parents, teachers and friends suppress our natural urges to run, jump, risk, by cries that we should not act so boldly and move so daringly. . . . Developing a sense of our bodies as beautiful objects to be gazed at and decorated requires suppressing a sense of our bodies as strong, active subjects moving out to meet the world's risk and confront the resistances of matter and motion.”
In this quote by Iris Young, she explores the societal norms surrounding femininity and how they restrict women's physical potential. Young argues that the traditional idea of femininity portrays women as soft, passive, and vulnerable, while discouraging them from being bold, daring, or physically active. This suppression of physical expression not only limits women's ability to fully engage with the world but also shapes their perception of their bodies as objects to be admired rather than as active, powerful entities. Young suggests that breaking free from these constraints is crucial for women to embrace their bodies as strong, capable beings able to confront and overcome challenges.
Iris Young's statement on the suppression of women's body potential due to societal norms of femininity continues to hold relevance in contemporary times. In a world where women are often judged based on appearance and expected to conform to narrow standards of beauty, the emphasis on physical appearance can overshadow the importance of strength, independence, and self-expression. This can limit women's opportunities for personal growth, self-discovery, and empowerment.
Iris Young's quote sheds light on how societal norms restrict women's physical potential.
“The norms of femininity suppress the body potential of women. We grow up learning that the feminine body is soft, not muscular, passive, incapable, vulnerable. Our parents, teachers and friends suppress our natural urges to run, jump, risk, by cries that we should not act so boldly and move so daringly. . . . Developing a sense of our bodies as beautiful objects to be gazed at and decorated requires suppressing a sense of our bodies as strong, active subjects moving out to meet the world's risk and confront the resistances of matter and motion.” - Iris Young
Reflecting on Iris Young's quote about the suppression of women's body potential by the norms of femininity, consider the following questions:
“We should realize in a vivid and revolutionary sense that we are not in our bodies but our bodies are in us.”
“While the repression of a memory is a psychological process, the suppression of feeling is accomplished by deadening a part of the body or reducing its motility so that feeling is diminished. The repression of the memory is dependent upon and related to the suppression of feeling, for as long as the feeling persists, the memory remains vivid. Suppression entails the development of chronic muscular tension in those areas of the body where the feeling would be experienced. In the case of sexual feeling, this tension is found in and about the abdomen and pelvis”
“Many of us reject all of the inferior meanings and connotations that others project onto femininity - that it is weak, artificial, frivolous, demure, and passive - because for us, there has been no act more bold and daring than embracing our own femininity. In a world that is awash in antifeminine sentiment, we understand that embracing and empowering femininity can potentially be one of the most transformative and revolutionary acts imaginable.”
“Our shoes carry our body, so we polish them; our body carries our soul, so we clean the body, but, what about our soul”?”
“... the way we eat represents our most profound engagement with the natural world. Daily, our eating turns nature into culture, transforming the body of the world into our bodies and minds.”