Name
Exploring Fatphobia in Lima: Autoethnography, Body Mapping, and the Body-Territory Methodology
Date & Time
Thursday, May 22, 2025, 10:15 AM - 10:30 AM
Description

This research, grounded in feminist and decolonial methodologies, centers the voices of women affected by fatphobia in Lima, addressing a critical gap in Peruvian studies on fat embodiment. Using narrative analysis, autoethnography, and the decolonial feminist geographical framework of body-territory, it examines fatphobia as a form of gendered and colonial violence at the bodily scale. Originally developed in contexts of extractivism and gender-based violence, the body-territory methodology is applied here to aesthetic violence, which erases body diversity in the region. Body mapping, a participatory visual method, enables participants to express their embodied experiences, fostering reflection and healing. Also, through autoethnography, I document personal encounters with fatphobia, linking them to broader systemic structures. This study employs a triangulated approach, combining interviews, body mapping, self-testimony, social media analysis, and archival research. Social media analysis will explore Instagram’s role in reinforcing beauty norms and fostering fat activism in Peru, using key accounts and narratives, including my platform in Instagram (@bitacoradeunagorda), for participant recruitment. Additionally, archival materials such as books, magazines, and videos will provide historical context to contemporary fatphobia in Lima. By integrating these methods, this research advances feminist and decolonial methodologies, adapting body-territory to aesthetic violence. It amplifies marginalized voices while promoting awareness and activism against fatphobia.

Location Name
Canal (CB) 2400
Session Type
Oral Presentation
Abstract ID
109
Speaker Name
Rosario del Pilar Rodriguez Romani
Speaker Organization
York University
Session Name
CS147 Emotional and Affective Geographies