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Hidden Beauty of Body and Hairs. The chosen aspects of the construct of the body, as a social matter

Summary/Abstract: The main aim of the article is to reflect on the changing perception of the human body. The changes are shown through two topics, each illustrated by two examples. The first topic is the body shown as disgusting and obnoxious. While in the Middle Ages such representation helped to convince people that sex was disgusting an obnoxious, for our contemporaries it is obesity that is synonymous to obnoxity and monstrosity. The second topic relates to changing perception of hair: it is seen as an erotic object. It is an element of religious norms and rules, which tell women to cover their hair, but also they are removed from view in public areas in order to make the body more attractive. In the context of obesity, the body is skinned and filled with slimy, filthy substances. In the context of hair, the priority is invisibility – achieved either by covering one’s hair or by removing it completely.

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