‘Normalizing’ female cancer patients:Look good, feel betterand other image programs

Image programs are a specific type of psychosocial cancer service developed to help women address the appearance‐related side effects of cancer treatment. They include the Look good, feel better program, medical and mastectomy boutiques and other cosmetic and makeover programs. In this paper I argue that the primary goal of image programs is to 'normalize' female cancer patients by hiding the physical evidence of illness and by reconstructing women with cancer as physically attractive, heterosexual and not disabled. The recovery of femininity and a feminine appearance is seen as central to recovering health. As a result, image programs take on a certain clinical legitimacy and become powerful reproducers of heterosexist and ableist discourses of gender and wellness.