Body Mapping

Biological sex: The physical characteristics, such as genitals and chromosomes, that define an individual as male or female.

Gender identity: One's internal sense of one's own gender, which may or may not align with the sex assigned at birth.

Gender expression: The way in which one presents or expresses one's gender to others.

Sexual orientation: One's attraction to individuals of the same or different gender.

Disability: A physical or mental impairment that impacts one's daily functioning and activities.

Ableism: Discrimination or prejudice towards individuals with disabilities.

Accessibility: The design and implementation of environments and products that are usable by individuals with disabilities.

Intersectionality: The interconnectedness of multiple identities and experiences, such as race, gender, sexuality, and disability status.

Social construction of disability: The idea that disability is not solely a medical issue, but also a social issue that is shaped by cultural and societal attitudes and structures.

Heteronormativity: The assumption that everyone is heterosexual and the privileging of heterosexuality as the norm in society.

Cisnormativity: The assumption that everyone is cisgender (identifying with the gender assigned at birth) and the privileging of cisgender identities as the norm in society.

Marginalization: The exclusion or disadvantage faced by individuals with marginalized identities due to societal structures and attitudes.

Empowerment: The process of recognizing and building one's own strengths and abilities in order to overcome marginalization and discrimination.

Disability-focused body mapping: This approach involves creating a visual representation of the body to explore the impact of disability on the individual's life. It can also help identify areas of support or areas where access barriers exist.

LGBTQIA+ inclusive body mapping: This approach involves examining how different dimensions of the body such as gender identity, sexual orientation, and other aspects of diversity intersect to form a person's identity.

Trauma-informed body mapping: This approach focuses on mapping out how trauma has impacted the body and the various ways it continues to manifest.

Embodied cognition body mapping: This approach emphasizes the mind-body connection in understanding different aspects of human experience, such as perception, emotion, and reasoning, and their relationship to the physical body.

Feminist body mapping: This approach examines the impact of patriarchal culture on the body and the ways in which women's bodies have been historically subjected to control and repression, often through medical and scientific practices.

Medicalized body mapping: This approach examines the ways in which medical interventions and technologies can shape perceptions of the body and influence experiences of disability, illness, and sexuality.

Social justice body mapping: This approach explores the social and political dimensions of the body and how different aspects of identity (such as race, class, gender, and sexuality) intersect to create systems of oppression and privilege.