After the hunger: an autoethnography about the feminine body after living food scarcity in Peru

Abstract

The following paper seeks to explore, through autoethnography, the building of female corporality after a past context of hunger. The experience of food shortage will be analysed on first place, to understand how food is a daily challenge firstly in order to obtain it, and later to deal with it. The following creates complex relationships with food and with the body that (re) produces: femininity is emotionally related with the action of eating.
My research is situated on Peru, where political and economic crises were intertwined in the 80s and 90s, and generated a complex relationship with food. Peruvian cuisine is currently a symbol of patriotism, yet it is historically associated with excluded classes. This reality translates into female bodies: Obesity is associated with laziness and conformity, but to not eat Peruvian dishes rich in fat and condiments is almost a crime.
Additionally, they are affected by the archetype of the “good woman”: moderation and decency are imposed by controlling female bodies and limiting their food intake. This model coexists with the experiences of women whose perception of hunger was distorted, and with a body image that incorporates the slenderness requirement to be recognized as a successful woman.