I decided to read this book because I also wanted to understand the implications my research claim has on the bodies in a more existencial way of seeing our relationship with our own bodies. This book starts understanding the implications of asking What is body?

The author challenges the idea of the body as a stable, closed entity, proposing instead that bodies are fluid and permeable. She argues that bodies don’t just exist in spaces but also interact with them in complex ways, influenced by cultural norms and social expectations. She addresses how different identities interact with bodily boundaries. Race, sexuality, gender and class influence bodily experiences, suggesting that the fluidity of boundaries is felt differently depending on one’s social positioning.

I really enjoyed reading briefly her research on bodily fluids (such as sweat, tears, and breast milk) and men. She critiques the taboos around bodily functions, showing how they reflect cultural anxieties about control and purity.

• Bodies and their socially encoded meanings can be understood only in specific spatial, temporal and cultureal contexts