Archives
Reconstructing the Self
Breast cancer and the post-surgical body
Samantha Crompvoets
National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, Australian National University, Canberra ACT
Abstract
In this paper I examine the impact of breast reconstruction on the current status of the mastectomised body. For women who have had a breast amputated, the option of breast reconstruction offers a sense of hope of regaining lost femininity, sexuality and normalcy.
This article reveals that there is no discursive space available for women to reconceptualise their bodies as normal or feminine without breasts. Instead, the post-surgical body is situated as transient, to be 'fixed' as soon as possible. A case study of one woman's failed bilateral reconstruction explores the construction of choice and its implications for the post-surgical body. This study demonstrates that while the expectation of regaining two-breasts prevails, mastectomised women may be unable to renegotiate a 'complete' body without them.
Keywords
breast cancer, breast reconstruction, choice, femininity, identity, mastectomy, normality
Navigate: Archives | Contents | Top of page
Web Feed
Latest Articles
Call for Papers
Expert Patient Policy
Volume 18/2
Deadline: 15th Aug 2008
Ageing, Anti-Ageing and Globalization: Transitions and limits in the governance of ageing
Volume 18/4
Deadline: 20th Feb 2009
Special Issues
Ageing, Anti-Ageing and Globalization: Transitions and limits in the governance of ageing
Vol 18/4, 1st Dec 2009
Expert Patient Policy
Vol 18/2, 1st Jun 2009
Social Determinants of Child Health and Wellbeing
Vol 18/1, 1st Mar 2009
Integrative, Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Challenges for Biomedicine?
Vol 17/4, 1st Dec 2008
Community, Family, Citizenship and the Health of LGBTIQ People
Vol 17/3, 1st Oct 2008
Re-imagining Preventive Health: Theoretical Perspectives
Vol 17/2, 1st Aug 2008
Death, Dying and Loss in the 21st Century
Vol 16/5, 1st Dec 2007
Social Equity and Health
Vol 16/2, 1st Jun 2007
Medical Dominance Revisited
Vol 15/5, 1st Dec 2006
Childbirth, Politics & the Culture of Risk
Vol 15/4, 1st Oct 2006
Revisiting Sexualities and Health
Vol 15/3, 1st Aug 2006
Closing Asylums for the Mentally Ill: Social Consequences
Vol 14/3, 1st Dec 2005
Workplace Health: The Injuries of Neoliberalism
Vol 14/1, 1st Aug 2005
Symposium on Rural Health: Patients and Practitioners
Vol 13/2, 1st Dec 2004
Symposium on Women's Health
Vol 13/1, 1st Sep 2004
Symposium on Indigenous Health and the Contribution of Sociology
Vol 10/2, 1st Nov 2001
eContent Home