The precarity of differences: Bodies,social exclusion,and DIY resistance strategies in the 21st century

Abstract

The twenty-first century has opened new avenues for visibility, particularly through ‘diversity marketing,’ yet social exclusion based on corporeality remains a pressing issue. Black, Indigenous, Latinx, LGBTQIA+, fat, and disabled bodies continue to face stigma rooted in dominant aesthetic, economic, and political norms. In response, strategies of resistance and subversion have emerged, highlighted by three do-it-yourself (DIY) practices that utilize the body to confront ethnic-racial and size-based prejudices: the collective action ‘Pretas, Gordas, na Praia!’ (‘Black, Fat Women at the Beach!’, 2019), Priscila Rezende's performance ‘Bombril’ (first presented in 2010), and Brenda Oelbaum's ‘No Diet Day’ interventions (2024). These movements leverage DIY methods to challenge prejudices related to gender, race, and body size, fostering networks of solidarity, awareness, and resistance. They significantly influence how marginalized bodies perceive themselves and how society views them, ultimately promoting greater inclusivity and understanding.