This article examines the processes through which the media regulates or governs identity by the construction of the 'normal, healthy' subject, focusing on representations of the body. Media representations have become an increasingly important component of the 'normalising' discourses of contemporary society that target both individual bodies and the population as a whole. However, it would be wrong to assume that domination is total; that individuals and groups offer no resistance. The article draws attention to struggles that are already occurring around issues of representation, in particular struggles for self-representation in the realms of gender and sexuality, and identifies some strategic points for intervention.
No takes yet. Share an insight, caveat, or question.
Alan Petersen (1994) studied this question.
Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context: