Freedom of Movement=Power: How Do We Persevere In a World That Wants to Restrict Us?
As a dance therapist in San Francisco, I am obsessed with movement. I spent two years of graduate school observing movement, analyzing movement, and replicating movement. I am always looking for the meaning in movement, especially as it applies to a person’s psyche. Movement is always imbued with meaning—if you take time to notice. Movement can mean so many things: our heart beats and lungs expand in movement that keeps us alive. A hand reaching towards another person for a movement of connection. A hand touching the face can show how we feel about ourselves. Importantly, the how of movement can say as much or more than the movement itself. Think about how you move towards someone you haven’t seen in ages that you really care about vs. how you move towards a person you have lukewarm feelings for but with whom you need to hash out a business deal. You are moving towards someone each time but the quality, the essence, of the movement is different.
Movement can also indicate power—who has power and who wields power is illuminated in a society by who can move and how. In addition to freedom of movement is the body itself—whose bodies are allowed to exist without interference? Who in society is allowed to be comfortable in their bodies and express themselves? Whose bodies and movements are being policed? The answers to these questions tell us everything about a society. For instance, in Ta-Nehisi Coates’ Between The World And Me, he discusses how the United States treats black bodies when he says:
“But you are a black boy, and you must be responsible for your body in a way that other boys cannot know. Indeed, you much be responsible for the worst actions of other black bodies, which, somehow, will always be assigned to you. And you must be responsible for the bodies of the powerful- the policeman who cracks you with a nightstick will quickly find his excuse in your furtive movements. And this is not reducible to just you- the women around you must be responsible for their bodies in a way that you will never know. You have to make your peace with the chaos, but you cannot lie. You cannot forget how much they took from us and how they transfigured our very bodies into sugar, tobacco, cotton, and gold.” (Coates, 2015).
Coates words shed light on how the US treats black bodies and restricts their movement and the truth of these words has not changed since he wrote his book nearly 10 years ago. Right now, in the United States, many, many people are restricted in their bodies and movements. As we in this country espouse our so-called freedom, let’s think about whose movements and bodies are being restricted.
ICE agents are restricting the movement of immigrants who are in this country when they are not forcibly returning them to countries of origin that they may or may not even remember. To say nothing of people being taken to countries that they do not have a connection to and being held as prisoners. Those who aren’t (and at this point are) citizens are afraid of going to baseball games, going to school, or even going to work simply because of where they came from.
Trans people are unable to access the medical care they need to live their lives comfortably. Legislation is being enacted to tell them how to live their lives with the premise that the sex they are born dictates their gender. Their ability to live as their authentic selves has been stripped away with flimsy, irrelevant arguments by people who have never thought critically about identity for any reason, especially since their adherence to their current identity guarantees them privilege.
Women and those who can bear children are unable to make reproductive choices, forcing them to bear children that they may not be ready or able to care for. In some states, the life of the child takes priority of that of the mother and pregnancies that are harmful to an already living being take precedence over life that already exists. Medically necessary abortions and procedures that ensure women’s health are limited as some kind of punishment for being born with a uterus.
Black and brown people are having their movement restricted even more, not only in the day to day, but those people who seek asylum in our country are no longer welcome. They live in fear amplified by the cruelty of people emboldened and sancitioned by a petty, greedy regime.
If we look at those few examples (among many) of who controls movement and people’s respective bodies in the United States, we can clearly see where power is distributed. Cisgender white males move throughout our country with minimal interference or restriction to their bodies or movement. The further away you are from those identities, the less power you have and more restrictions you are likely to encounter. In response to the restrictions people are feeling, there have been outbursts of violence that have been politicized to ensure that the status quo remains in tact.
So how do we, who value movement and freedom, bodily or otherwise, continue to persevere?
As a somatic therapist, specifically a dance therapist, here are my thoughts. They are coming from someone who identifies as white and knows that confers a great deal of privilege. So please take what, if any, is useful to you for your particular identities and situation.
1) Regulate your nervous system
One of the most powerful acts of resistance is regulating your nervous system. Although this is a huge feat during current times, the more you can calm your fear, using connection with others, love, and joy as antidotes, the better you can handle the strategic chaos from those in power. Find ways to feel emotions other than fear—small moments of reprieve add up to more calm over time.
2) Lean into and cultivate your community
Find your people that feel the similar waves of fear and take solace in each other. One of the beautiful things about human beings is our ability to co-regulate, e.g. we can help each other calm down and feel safe. Often when one of us is feeling fear, being in the presence of another who remains grounded can help us to feel better as well.
3) Keep taking action
Whether it is speaking out, donating money, protesting, or finding other ways to contribute, taking action bolsters hope. And hope is critical during this time. Let us continue to use what agency we have to effect change. Not everyone will be in a place that they feel safe to act and that is ok. . .it often is a position of privilege to be able to take action without severe consequences.
4) Be ok with taking time for yourself
The 24 hour news cycle will continue with its fearmongering. There will be a need for space from current events and let yourself take it. The space is important for our nervous systems to recover so we can return to ourselves and keep advocating for the world we want to live in.
5) Don’t deny yourself joy or pleasure
Although things may seem bleak, it is essential to remember that we want the freedom to feel, be, and do. That is what we are advocating for. If we preemptively start stripping away our own joy and happiness, we are feeding into the dismal authoritarian worldview that many in power are striving to implement. You deserve all that is good in this world and don’t let the actions of others take that away from you.
Lastly, if you are still struggling with all that is going on and need resources such as somatic therapy, please reach out to me at lisa@lisamanca.com. I am happy to share what resources I have.
References:
Coates, T. (2015). Between the world and me. First edition. Spiegel & Grau.