ABSTRACT
I have always been aware of the signifi cance of the body in relation to my own understanding of myself and the presentation of my ‘self’ to others. I was aware of how it could help or hinder me in social situations in many ways. For instance, being male, white, tall, slim and agile I could sense the way these corporeal qualities afforded me status in different circumstances. At the same time, my body could hamper me in many other social situations. For instance, it could be too weak or sometimes too strong, it could be too young or too old. These bodily traits informed my thinking about myself and created various ways in which I could present a social identity. Consequently, throughout my life, and I am sure like many others, I have been constantly aware of using my body to perform in certain ways to present a particular form of identity which I felt was appropriate at the time.
