Mapping out factors that shape narratives of bodily autonomy for Bangladeshi youth

Abstract

The discourse of consent, specifically the consent of our bodies is hyper-focused on situational narratives of consent breach. While the scope of this discourse fills a crucial role which formulates preventative guidelines and suggests disciplinary measures, it overlooks the uniqueness of subjective experiences for the sake of extracting objectivity. As a result, current discourse fails to take into account the nuances and ambiguities that come into play when shaping these narratives. Firstly, it homogenizes the capability of individuals to effectively understand and communicate their boundaries, and how their personal experiences with bodily autonomy and agency in the past affect their psyche. Secondly, it presents boundaries as rigid peripheries defined as required by negating their malleability and adaptability. Thirdly, it does not concern itself with how individuals negotiate the boundaries of their body to navigate experiences where their autonomy is challenged. This thesis is an autoethnography extended towards a peer group- it explores narratives of bodily autonomy of upper-middle class Bangladeshi youth with the aim of mapping out factors that shaped their experiences.