"Fleshing it Out: Sacred and Profane Body Modification" Slides

These are the class slides from Lee Harrington's class, "Fleshing it Out: Sacred and Profane Body Modification."

The world over, body modification is used as a way to express identity – whether that is self-identity, cultural (or subcultural) affiliation, milestones, political views, or spiritual connections. We have all made modifications to live our lives, such as having a specific hair style to blend in with our peer circles or dressing in a certain way. We will look at the wide variety of body modifications available today from henna/mehndi to hook suspension, tattoos to ritual jewelry, stage makeup to genital reconstruction surgery, breast augmentation to flesh removal. We will also discuss the energy inherent in each type of modification, issues of cultural appropriation, and the social implications of body modification. Let’s examine why every act of modifying our flesh can be sacred, and every act can be profane – no matter the type of alteration, no matter the transformation.