So I'm sitting there in G310, everything flying over my head, but there's one thing that caught my attention: "swimming is natural."
What the fuck dropped on your head?
"Swimming is natural"???? Yeah, I can seep in waters for hours without pruning up, or have the natural mechanisms such as webbed-feet or flippers to facilitate the act of "moving in water". Most importantly, I HAVE LUNGS.
I was awoken from my rainy-day slumber by that comment so I decided to follow up on what was actually partaking in class.
Turns out, we were talking about techniques of movement by the body. How men walk a certain way, while women are expected to conform to a certain gait. Or even how men throws balls, contrasted with a woman with a softball.
One student argued that repeated motions make the body conform. Like how we don't squat. But if we did, our legs would be formed a certain way to show that we squatted. Due to the stress we put on our legs. Western civilization created "chairs" that position our body a certain way that we have no need to squat. And the lack of squatting creates "straight legs".
So this go back to my initial outrage: nature.
It's "natural" to sit and let your body rest. It's "natural" how people walk.
Hmm?
The number one thing that Lisa Yang gets harassed about is her gait. Look, I have a medium arch on my feet, if I walk "normally" for too long, my feet would hurt. I have calluses on the sides of my big toes because of my medium-arch. I roll my feet in when I travel long distances because that's how my feet carries me.
To me, that's completely natural. I don't wear "special shoes" or inserts (though I really should) to help my feet adjust to the weight of my body on it all day.But here's the paradox: I walk like a dude.
I make a conscious effort to walk to a human being by "nature's standards", meaning I don't walk on my knees or hands or any other part of my body; other than my feet. I use my feet to carry myself places I want to go. My feet aren't perfect, but they "conform to societal norms". But that's NOT good enough! Because of how my feet is built, I walk a certain way, naturally (for me at least). But since the way I walk is comfortable for me, but deemed masculine by others, therefore, I am judged.
But again, this is the world we live in where processed foods cost 1/10th of "natural, organic" foods.
Also we live in a world where women spent HOURS everyday caking on make-up to appear an "artificial beauty" that is acclaimed by the general public! Men spent hours trying to create an image of, "I am scruffy and haven't showered in 3 days. Sexy."
Now, my readers know how I feel about 'feminism' so this is not about 2nd or 3rd wave anything. This is about being "natural".
"Natural" is a loaded word. There is no standard set of anything. Don't get me started on gay equality and "naturality".
If I was "meant" to be any certain way, created by a Greater Power, I wouldn't be the societal outcast with my "deformities". I embrace my gait, my feet, my body, my mind, my there-lack-of-soul.
It's quite ironic how "organic" is equated to "different" or "special" when it's supposed to be "natural".
I love how you mention women spend hours on make-up to appear artificial beauty to the general public. But what about when women spend hours on make-up to impress their lover or someone they like?
ReplyDeleteI think people are more likely to say you walk like a duck rather than a "man". No offense. I seen people who been told they don't walk like a "human". But I completely agree with you that you don't need to be told how you should walk, talk and eat. I mean as long as you can everything done like how other get their stuff done, I don't think there is only "ONE" way to do so. Does that make sense to you? Sorry about my horrible grammars. :)
Love,
Your blog pursuer
There are women who put on make-up for the general public, and there are ones who put on make-up for their significant others... but both of those are "artificial", wouldn't you say? Acting/looking a certain way to get someone to like you? What happens when you start dating him/her and she/he realizes that you're nothing like what he/she thought? uh. oh.
ReplyDeleteOh, no, not a duck. A man. Trust me on this one. I'm not arguing that people shouldn't tell others "how to walk", all I'm saying is that there isn't a "natural" anything. But I do agree with your points. :D
Thanks for your input!