@anaily - you said
My body my choice
It is worth noticing this position is the same as the anti-vaxx movement, the people who promote quackery and snake oil over evidence based medicine, the same as people who undertake horrific body modifications and the same as the pro-sex work activists. It also resonates with the extreme batshit end of the “body positive” movement and even the networks of “thinspiration” and self-harming groups on social media and other groups on the dark web.
Of course these things are always complex and I do believe that in general terms our bodies belong to us, they are the only things we ever really truly own, and we should be allowed to do to our bodies what we want to do and not be dictated by others, however…..
Anyone who has not been living under a stone for the last few years will appreciate that the human body is at the centre of multiple discourses, personal and political, regarding power, independence, violations, truth and lack of truth.
Anyone who has been paying attention will also be aware of the rising influence of cults, whether spiritual, political or personal development orientated or simply orientated around dysfunctional power dynamics. Anyone aware of these issues will be aware of soft methods of controlling vulnerable people based on social contagion, peer pressure, altered states of consciousness, isolation from friends and families and the influence of celebrities and online “influencers”.
None of us are every truly alone and not influenced by mainstream media, social media and various other forces. There is no binary opposition of decisions made by an “authentic self” and, on the other hand, decisions influenced by outside forces. These things are incredibly nuanced.
Many of the vulnerable people involved in cults that I research talk of bodily sovereignty / body sovereignty and a search of these words on YouTube will provide sone interesting results.
It is fascinating to me that some of the people who believe they have recovered or awakened their bodily sovereignty are people who are deeply in the thrall of abusive cults.
This is not a new thing. Anti-vaxxers have long trumped themselves as free and awakened and dismiss others contemptuously as “sheeple”, sometimes even as they lie on their death beds.
Possibly the most illuminating comparison is of smokers’ rights campaigners who shout about freedom whilst harming their own lives and the lives of others with smoke. The tobacco industry has long promoted discourses that smoking = rebellion and freedom whereas in fact is it a pernicious addiction and slavery to harmful chemicals.
Just sharing some thoughts.
I also wanted to congratulate the OP on making this connection. I am impressed and would recommend pursuing action against retailers of binders on this basis.
I successfully reported a seller of disgusting and dangerous jamu sticks to the authorities and got them withdrawn from sale, at least from one retailer who was making unfounded medical claims about them. It was years ago and I don’t recall all of the details, but all it took as a phone call and they acted rapidly to address the situation. So go get ‘em OP would be my suggestion.