I just finished watching Whole, a documentary,
Whole, about people with
Body Integrity Identity Disorder, aka voluntary amputees, people who cut off healthy limb(s) to satisfy a psychosis. I don't feel I'm explaining this very well, but it's fascinating (to me at least). The disorder is compared to Gender Identity Disorder -- people who feel they were born the wrong gender, and some have surgery to give them the gender they believe themselves to be. So, with BIID, people sever their limbs to feel more complete and to have the body they believe they should have. I think its interesting because I can't relate, and the desire seems more foreign to me than GID, probably because during brief moments in my life, I have wished I was a boy, generally thought at times where I thought I would be having an easier time if I was a boy, which is not equivalent to GID at all, but for some reason, it makes me feel like I can identify just a tiny, tiny bit.
What does truly perplex me is those in the documentary who had their leg cut off were wearing prosthetic limbs. Granted, walking with a prosthetic limb is not like walking with a healthy leg. But, it still perplexes me as to why they would want to do that after undergoing so much to have the limb removed. I tried Googling for an answer, but to no avail.
I did find something interesting on an amputee web site:
Interesting take on the War in Iraq. (Why is it never called the Iraq War?)
Continuing my fascination with documentaries on obscure subjects, tomorrow Netflix should deliver one about children born with a genetic disorder that causes them not to feel pain (
A Life Without Pain).
1 comment:
Dude, I am so hearing you on this post. I work in a Tattoo parlor - and have for years... Somehow this subject comes up every now and then or we have people inquire about it at the shop... and I think "whaaaaah????" and then some people want to liken it to getting tattooed, which to me seems not at all related. I suppose there are the few VERY tattooed people who are compelled to cover every bit of their body with ink and in that way (the compelled way_ they are similar to those who would like to lkose a limb (or MUST lose a limb, if you will)... I read about it sometimes in a magazine that one of the artists gets - it's called bizarre and the mag is not for the faint of heart. I have even gagged while reading it... (it covers a lot of odd behaviors of people in the world and makes you feel about as off as june cleaver) I guess I am compelled to try and understand those who are so misunderstood - as are you... anyhow... I'll look for an article on this is Bizarre and send it to you if you would like....
-Nanimal
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