Elogio dei corpi delle donne

by Gloria Steinem

Per le donne il corpo è spesso un campo di battaglia con la propria autostima. Reggiseni, slip, costumi da bagno, costituiscono il rimando visivo a un’immagine della donna commerciale e idealizzata a cui i loro corpi reali, e soprattutto differenti gli uni dagli altri, non possono adeguarsi. Senza quei riferimenti visivi, standard irraggiungibili fissati dagli altri, invece, ogni singola donna può tornare ad amarsi e a vedere il proprio corpo per quello che è: unico e bellissimo. Dopo aver trascorso qualche giorno in un centro benessere in compagnia di una novantina di donne, Gloria Steinem scrisse "Elogio dei corpi delle donne", un saggio breve ma potentissimo, in parte ode e in parte trattato, scritto in completa adorazione della forma femminile, in tutta la sua straordinaria varietà. "Elogio dei corpi delle donne" è stato pubblicato per la prima volta sulla rivista Ms. nell’aprile del 1982.

Genres: Feminism, Nonfiction, Essays, Audiobook, Womens, Gender, Ebooks

31 pages, Paperback

First published April 1, 1982

About the author

Gloria Marie Steinem (March 25, 1934–September 2, 2026) was an American feminist, journalist, and social and political activist who became nationally recognized as a leader of, and media spokeswoman for, the women's liberation movement in the late 1960s and 1970s. A prominent writer and key counterculture era political figure, Steinem founded many organizations and projects and was the recipient of many awards and honors. She was a columnist for New York magazine and co-founded Ms. magazine.

Reviews

[Lexie ❤️‍ · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A little natural togetherness would show us the Family of Woman, where each of us is beautiful and no one is the same."

Great end to a beautiful day.

[Andrew Galley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I grew up with a mother and sister in the same household. I've had both girlfriends and very close friends on a different part of the feminist scale. I've done a lot of feminist reading. Despite that... I do not know the pressures of being a woman in society.

We can debate about the Patriarchy and the pink tax and the pay gap all we want. It's all political. From a societal standpoint this is probably the best piece I have ever read on the subject.

This peace of work hit me. I listened to the audible version on a drive home from work and thanked the red lights for letting me just sit there.

I could summarise the points made in this but it is a very short read. What I want to do with this review is simple: recommend it and confirm that it is NOT the man-hating tomb people would easily declare it. If you want an insight into the pressures women have in terms of looks (we're not just talking figures, Steinem comments on everything from hair to scars), this is masterful.

[Leti lo yeti · Rating 4 out of 5]

Smettiamo di fare confronti. Cominciamo a essere uniche.

[Vanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Le donne hanno due scelte:.essere femministe o masochiste.

[Annkathrin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Steinem uses a short essay to say a big deal.

We still have far to go to forget useless lessons drilled into us that nudity is shameful, that other women are competition, and that our value lies in how much our bodies perform as ornaments for consumption. This essay is a reminder that our diversity and deviation from artificial, unattainable ideals imposed on us by society's inescapable male gaze is a strength: It is in embracing this diversity and uniqueness that we begin to appreciate the true value of our bodies as instruments with which we can experience the world, and relate to other women on a human level as our equals and our allies, not our competition.

[Chloe Shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’ve missed feminist bodily theory! <3 (so accessible though I’d be inclined to call it more of a story than theory). Every woman could do with hearing the reminders in this essay every so often

[GliScleri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Benché la riflessione dell’autrice provenga da diversi decenni fa, è ancora incredibilmente attuale la necessità di prendere le distanze dai corpi perfetti imposti dai media come desiderati e desiderabili per poter vivere serenamente e amare il proprio corpo. Qualunque esso sia. Una riflessione semplice, ma efficace, che terrò sicuramente a mente quando mi guarderò allo specchio

[Mills · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Praise of Women's Bodies moved me profoundly in the space of just a few minutes. Everyone should read this. As someone with an eating disorder... I cried in a way that felt full of healing.

[Mimi Thorne · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

I wasn’t going to rate this as it’s an essay, but it had an impact on the way I’ll think going forwards so I wanted it to contribute to my year’s reading. The other reviews have beaten me to including all the good quotes, but there are some sentences that are easily quotable and would probably be good for me to remember when I’m feeling conscious of myself for something like having a body

[Mimi Carstairs · Rating 5 out of 5]

A little naturalness together would show us the Family of Woman, where each of us is beautiful and no one is the same.

Very interesting and insightful.

Perhaps we'll only be fully at ease with ourselves when we can appreciate scars as symbols of experience, often experience that other women share, and see our bodies as unique chapters in a shared story.

Gets the message across in less than 10 pages, and is written simply yet eloquently.

But now I know: I know that fat or thin, mature or not, our bodies wouldn't give us such unease if we learned their place in the rainbow spectrum of women.

Beautiful imagery, too.

Childbirth is more admirable than conquest, more amazing than self-defense, and as courageous as either one.

I would recommend as a quick yet inspirational read, for men and women alike.

From her, I learn there can be sisterly satisfaction, not subservience, in serving other women's bodies.

[C · Rating 5 out of 5]

This took me back to junior high, where the girls in locker rooms still changed their bras under their shirts b/c they didn't want their breasts judged. That was the early 90's and I hope it has changed with the cultural push towards body positivity--but I suspect it hasn't much.

Like most feminist reads, I wish I had read this when I was younger. I wish my mom had been a feminist, and had told me who Steinem was. I wish I had known as a teen that there were plenty of female role models--outside of Hollywood and the music industry--who had a totally different perspective on women's bodies. I may not have cared much at that age, and followed my friends and pop culture, but I would have been aware of that alternate point of view. A POV that celebrates strength, wisdom, and perseverance. A perspective uninterested in shrinking.

[Georgia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish someone had told me about this when I was writing an essay on the body and trauma? Or that time I was writing an essay on pregnant bodies? Apparently I wrote about bodies a lot at uni. This is short but powerful, well worth a read.

"Too many of us experience female bodies, our own and others, in social settings and private bedrooms, only when they are most isolated, artificial, self-conscious, and on display for men or conventional judgement.
A little natural togetherness would show us the Family of Woman, where each of us is beautiful and no one is the same."

[Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Going to the Therme here in Austria (and over the border in Germany) has completely changed my relationship to my own body and views of other women's bodies. If only us Brits were generally more comfortable with ourselves.

[Pardina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I kind of want to go on a ladies' retreat after reading this. There was something moving and empowerment in the description of women being comfortable with women, supporting each other.

[&#x1f336; peppersocks &#x1f9e6; · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reflections and lessons learned:
A short piece that feels like a generational measure of small changes in the ease of nudity and the acceptance of bodies, individuals and others - has there been much change or will magnified clothed fear be the natural reset each time? An analysis important for anyone that has ever run through the communal showers in a towel and looked at their own skin differences

[Krista Toovey · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Too many of us experience female bodies, our own and others, in social settings and private bedrooms. Only when they are most isolated, artificial, self conscious and on display for men or conventional judgement. A little natural togetherness can show us the family of woman where each of us is beautiful and no one is the same.”

How beautiful.

[Bookfairy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This reads more as an introspection think-piece than a short story, which isn't a bad thing, I didn't know what to expect going in.

A very short read, a great look at how we see ourselves, and others.

[Simona · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

“Each individual woman’s body demands to be accepted on its own terms”. Period.

Short and straight to the point. About women’s body liberation, diversity, and inclusion. Pregnancy, scars, different shapes & sizes make us all unique.

I love G. Steinem’s writing.

[Sarah DeLone · Rating 3 out of 5]

I had to read something of Gloria Steinem’s today and this one was available on kindle unlimited. Made me think about how often I actually was around women’s bodies as a swimmer and how unselfconscious I was of my body at that time.

[Sam Bolton · Rating 3 out of 5]

(3.75)

[Erin · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Christian M. T · Rating 4 out of 5]

In praise of women's bodies of all shapes indeed!

Highly insightful for a short essay but a wholly important piece of writing.

Great read for everyone!

[Niamh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gloria Steinem is an icon and remains one

Cute very short book. La,is meaningful depth due to the length but avoided the insights she gained from diff wo!en. The diversity of women

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Enlightening quick read.

It's short & written quite a few years back but very relevant. I will definitely share with my loved ones male & female. A great eye opener to some & affirmation for others.

[Bibiana Krall · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Praise of Women's Bodies by Gloria Steinem is a short and powerful, feminist essay about self-worth and the long journey to coming to peace with our own bodies. It made me think.

I grew up flipping through fashion magazines and was in the ballet world for years and years. I was so skinny and unhealthy back then I had to wear a sweatshirt tied around my waist just to cushion my behind enough to sit in a chair. It doesn't change anything to compare what we look like, but many of us do it more than we would ever admit. The billion dollar fashion and beauty industry caters to this desire every day.

I'm not saying that I don't wear makeup or try to look and feel my best, but sometimes it goes to the extreme and when that new tropical-print bikini fades or fad diet is done, in truth, I always wish that I was a different me again.

Many of us have been or currently are that woman or teen that never quite see what's reflected in the mirror and as we continue to criticize and analyze our physical selves for not being air-brushed or photo perfect, this can lead to many issues that can steal our joy and destroy our health.

I love Ms. Steinem's bold idea that scars and stretch marks are beautiful and that after a few days of exposure to every sort of female body on a spa weekend or a safe space like the gym locker room, we might come back to center and realize that feminine beauty exists in all of us and it always has.

So happy and empowered after reading this refreshing essay. Wish I had discovered it sooner.

[Lisa Bentley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love Gloria Steinem’s writing. I came to her quite late on but I have enjoyed my sojourn into her world of feminism. This particular article – In Praise of Women’s Bodies really struck a chord with me. As a 34 year old woman I have never sat in the company of women in the nude. I didn’t grow up in a naked house and I can honestly say that the thought of doing so makes me feel incredibly uncomfortable. Not because of being naked in front of women just because being naked in front of anybody doesn’t exactly fill me with comfort. Heck, I’ve never even worn a crop top.

What I got from this article is that I want to want to be able to. I may never get to that completely comfortable place of feeling comfortable with my body around other women but I can at least hold on to the impression that I will one day.

In Praise of Women’s Bodies by Gloria Steinem is available now.

For more information regarding Gloria Steinem (@GloriaSteinem) please visit www.gloriasteinem.com.

[Roseanne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full of Gentle-Feminist Anecdotes and Thoughtful Suggestions

I loved how Steinem's words became the heartbeat of the gentle feminism that back-boned this essay about the beautiful bodies that make up the world of women. If you struggle with image, body or some kind of eating disorder; Or have had struggled with similar issues, you'd take away something helpful from reading this essay. Do it. I dare you. You won't regret it.

[Amara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was written a few months before I was born. I'll be 36 this year.

And the plight of women has not changed.

That's the saddest thing.

The one thing I disagree with her with, is that she sometimes criticizes women who remove scars. If it makes a woman feel better about herself, let her. Praise her. Don't call her a hypocritical feminist.

[Urszula · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another super short essay from Gloria Steinem, this time focusing on building acceptance for our bodies through dropping the shame (e.g. accepting being naked among other women). Again, still current in many cultural contexts, still important.

[Melania · Rating 3 out of 5]

Poco completo.