Corset As A Feminist

Feminist: The historical opinions and thoughts of the corset was almost exclusively that of a man. Men found it unflattering, exclusively male doctors explained that there were health risks associated with them, and women did not have any published opinion on the matter. Despite the strong opinions against corsets in the eyes of men, those who did not use a corset were not thought of highly. Corsets brought a double edged sword for women before 1870, if a woman wore a corset they were “addicted morons”, and if women didn’t they were considered poor and unsophisticated. The corset was used as a tool to keep women “in their place”, and did so regardless of if they wore one or not.Historically speaking, a corset is not simply a garment for body

High class women had the resources and means to possess quality corsets. Middle class women wore corsets as well, but the quality was severely lacking, in regards to the higher class corsets. And finally lower class women did not wear them on a daily basis, if at all. Generally working class women, although at the time many women were not considered to be working, did not wear a corset as it severely inhibited physical performance. To wear a corset, at the time, was a defining part of their social status. If a woman wore a corset, they were considered a sophisticated women, although they were mocked for their “ditzy” behavior. And if a women were to not wear a corset they were considered unsophisticated and brutish, as it meant you were unable to afford a corset and generally worked in labor intensive jobs like farming, which at the time was “unfit” for a woman to be doing. This divide encouraged lower class women to rent corsets when they wanted to be taken more seriously. This practice was common among prostitutes, and women who sold goods from their

There are multiple reasons for this, one worth noting is the Transgender community. A modern corset has the potential to be a powerful addition to a transgender woman’s transition and everyday life. It can be beneficial in physical and psychological ways. Physically, a corset can instantly enhance a feminine silhouette, temporarily or permanently depending if the wearer chooses to do waist training. Psychologically speaking, a corset is historically known as being inherently feminine, this can be help with body dysphoria. These ideas can also be applied to other people who do not necessarily fall along the gender binary and identify as something beyond cisgender or