Analysis of recent feminist literature and feminist photographic media art on the representation of the gendered body in a cross-cultural context

This paper lies on emerging possibilities for identity formation as perceived through the social construction of gendered bodies. According to feminist philosopher Julia Kristeva, our differences from others reveal our identities. Since isolation has complicated the sense of identity, the pandemic has affected these social constructions. This research project will use a practice-led research methodology, integrating photography, digital technology and image modification to challenge cultural and gender identity. This research is anchored in the literature addressing the feminist body, the gendered body and gender identity while exploring gender body image in a cross-cultural setting. Feminist bodies are produced as constituent parts of various social and cultural settings, and these contexts can be viewed from multiple angles and perspectives. Nevertheless, the feminist body acquires distinctions and meanings as a result of the power relations into which it is embedded in society. Specifically, considering cultural characteristics inherent to Brazil and Australia when comparing the representation of these gendered bodies in both countries. This research aligns with current developments in gender politics, which requires revisiting feminist theories and practices, questioning how contemporary digital photography affects the concept of gender bodies and the possibilities of inscriptions of digitally altered gender bodies in a transcultural environment. Using a feminist approach, cultural, ethnicity and gender differences will be considered essential for contributing to the emergence of contemporary feminist perspectives on gendered bodies within a diverse community.