Body talk

This wonderful interview got me thinking that there’s something incredibly liberating about giving voice to the bodily taboos and hang ups we all share. I mean, for goodness sake, we all have bodies and yet we waft through life – noses in the air – denying the very flesh that envelopes us. We devote time, energy and resources to taming our wild bodies – covering, shaving, colouring and even slicing away at our nakedness. It’s a constant battle we’re never going to win. So why do we do it? Our bodies are a grimy everyday reminder of our mortality. By trimming, tweaking and trussing we twist the truth for a little while, creating a moment of self-perceived polished perfection. But soon the stubble breaks the porcelain surface and we’re back down to reality, staring our future in the bloodshot eye. 

Flip the coin though, and we could start having fun. We’re not artefacts that must be preserved. No, we don’t live forever so we should celebrate that which gives us the freedom to feel and taste and smell and touch and hear: our body.