Politicizing bodies

The issue of body regulation is not a recent one. For a long time, public authorities wanted to codify what was good and what was not in terms of clothing and body appearance. Now, as this report shows, a very controlling and conservative movement seems to be making a comeback almost everywhere in the world, targeting women in particular.

In Poland and other countries, including the USA, women are denied the right to abortion. Russia decorates women with large families, trying to humiliate those who still haven't given birth. An oppressive way of combating Russia's declining demography.

In Tajikistan, a state manual recommends that women dress according to the values of the nation. This means rejecting clothing considered too Western or too Islamic, such as that worn by their Afghan neighbors, who are often black and advocate the hijab. As a result, the country seems less authoritarian than the Taliban, but still prevents women from wearing what they want in the name of preserving the Tajik nation.

So, while some parties and politicians use the body as a political weapon, others also respond with their bodily approaches. Whether it's artists crying out for freedom and playing with codes to provoke a reaction, or larger movements like those of women in Iran who have decided to cry out for the right to reclaim their bodies.

Running time: 30m57