Feminist figure girl : look hot while you fight the patriarchy / Lianne McTavish.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

McTavish, Lianne, 1967- author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Feminism--History--21st century.

Feminism.

Feminism and sports.

Women bodybuilders.

Physical Description:

1 online resource (219 pages) : illustrations

Place of Publication:

Albany, [New York] : State University of New York Press, 2015.

Summary:

Feminist Figure Girl chronicles the transformation of art history professor Lianne McTavish, from a university professor into an extraordinarily tanned and crystal-encrusted bikini-wearing "figure girl."Figure competitions seek a softer appearance than traditional forms of bodybuilding but still require rigorous weightlifting, an extreme protein diet, and many hours of posing in high heels. While training for a figure show, McTavish combined autoethnographic methods, participant observation, and feminist theory to find new ways of thinking about physique culture and the female body.The author, who specializes in critical visual culture and the history of the body, explores such contemporary issues as body image, fat studies, identity politics, and "postfeminism," while rethinking fitness culture, diet regimes, feminist politics, reproductive activism, performance art, and the social function of photography. Written in a lively personal style reminiscent of McTavish's popular blog, she clearly explains the complex ideas stemming from the theoretical work of such writers as Judith Butler, Simone de Beauvoir, Michel Foucault, Iris Marion Young, Edmund Husserl, and Maurice Merleau-Ponty. The book also includes many photos documenting McTavish's physical transformation.

Contents:

Measuring up : comparing bodybuilding, weight watchers, and yoga

Embodiment and the event of muscle failure

Replacing feminism : comparing prochoice activism with becoming a figure girl

On stage : performing feminit figure girl

Aftermath : the photographs in my purse.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

Description based on print version record.

ISBN:

9781438454788

1438454783