Noe’s Comics Nook: Dear Body

Review

Dear Body is an anthology of comics, created by female and nonbinary creators all addressing body positivity in some way or another. These stories emerged from Lea Bordier’s long running video documentary series that gathers “women’s testimonies on their relationship to the body.” Each comic is the result of a pairing an interviewee with a cartoonist to produce a dozen gorgeous, unique visual narrative. The range of artistic styles here is truly something to behold.

To address each individual comic here would take… well, quite some time, so I will limit myself to two of my favorites. First there is Lucie by Sybilline Meynet, which tells the story of a tattoo artist and a client seeking to get a tattoo to cover up a scar. In the story we get to see different approaches to handling the painful memories associated with scars, with the attention they can sometimes bring, and, importantly, that there is no one right approach to living with your body, your past, and how people see you in the world. Colored with a soft, calming palette and ending with a bit of the fantastical, this one sticks with you. I’ve always thought tattooing and cartooning are a natural match for one another, so perhaps I was predisposed to liking this one.

Then there is Camille by Marie Boiseau, which is about 23-year-old (at the time of telling) Marie, who was born with cerebral palsy and has a, in her words, “chaotic and paradoxical” relationship with her body. It is so rare to see disability in comics told from the perspective of someone living it, and rarer still to see mobility aids depicted in a realistic and positive way, that this comic immediately stood out. The love and care on display in the panels highlighting Marie’s handidansing are wonderful. Ending on what she calls a positive moment, and what I consider part of my own chronic pain therapy routine, Marie reflects that most of our problems become secondary when we recognize how lucky we are to be here at all – to simply be alive.

Dear Body is opens up a world of conversation about what it means to be (in) a body and how insisting on the right to be comfortable in the world in one’s body is vital.

Elements of Story

Plot: A series of interviews turned comics with female and nonbinary creators about their bodies, their experiences, and owning space in the world.

Characters: N/A

Major Settings: N/A

Themes: Body positivity, health, feminism, identity, disability

Lesson Plan Idea Using Common Core Standards (CCS) CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.W.9-10.3 – Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details, and well-structured event sequences.

Directions: Dear Body is an anthology, featuring 12 stories from women or non-binary individuals about their bodies, from the pressures they’ve faced to the joys they’ve experienced. Presented here as comics, the stories are adapted from interviews that Lea Bordier conducted originally for YouTube or podcasts. Given the personal nature of these stories, rather than have students conduct an in-depth analysis of the book, let us turn to creative efforts.

Step 1: Assign students to read Dear Body over the course of a few weeks, with dedicated times throughout to discuss the stories they’ve read as a group in class. Perhaps two comics from the anthology per discussion period. Encourage students to explore not only the content of the comics, but their form as well. Why were those colors chosen? What metaphors were used? Were there stiff panels or was it more free-flowing? It is important here that students consider how the medium shapes the message.

Step 2: Midway through the reading period, introduce the following prompt to the students: “Consider a time, feeling, or experience where you were especially aware of your body. What prompted or led up to the event and how has it impacted you up to today?” Students should consider this prompt while finishing reading Dear Body and prepare a few possible options for answering the prompt. Students can present their answer in a variety of creative formats: written essay, zine, comic, podcast, and so on. (Teacher, be flexible in format and length!)

Step 3: Students should submit a proposal for their project prior to the final discussion session. Proposals will be returned with teach comments on final day of discussion.

Step 4: On final day of discussion of Dear Body, provide feedback on student proposals and provide class time for one-on-one discussion with any student who needs additional support.

Step 5: Students will have two weeks past final discussion day to finish their creative project. The projects only have to be provided to the teacher, though students should feel free to distribute to classmates if they like. If students are comfortable, offer time for them to share their final project with the class.

Remember, the goal of this assignment includes understanding the book, as well as flexing narrative skills, but it is also about ensuring students have a space in which to discuss difficult topics. Grade should focus on how well the project presents and conveys the themes of the students’ experiences, less so on specific artistic talents.