New Books in Critical Theory Lucia Soriano, "Embodying Normalcy: Women's Work in Neoliberal Times" (Lexington Books, 2024)
May 17, 2025
Lucia Soriano, an assistant professor specializing in women's, gender, and sexuality studies, dives into the burdens women face to embody cultural ideals in a neoliberal landscape. She explores how unpaid labor, driven by beauty standards from reality TV and social media, affects women's identities. Soriano discusses the historical shift of 'embodying normalcy' and how influencers shape societal expectations. She highlights the challenges of normative motherhood and the pressure on women to conform, revealing the complexities of self-presentation in today’s culture.
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Soriano's Early Celebrity Exposure
- Lucia Soriano grew up near LA and attended TV show tapings to experience celebrity culture firsthand.
- This early exposure sparked her lifelong interest in celebrity bodies and beauty in media.
Embodying Normalcy Defined
- Embodying normalcy involves constant self-transformation to adapt to societal expectations.
- Soriano uses 'embodying normalcy' to emphasize ongoing, active work women do to fit neoliberal norms.
Focus Period Rationale
- Soriano focuses on the 2000s to 2020s because these decades capture transformations in media and cultural phenomena relevant to embodiment.
- The early 2000s launched reality makeover TV, setting the stage for her analysis of body politics.