What kinds of bodies are considered acceptable? Who is allowed to be themselves? What expectations and demands have historically been placed on different bodies?

The University of Turku research project “Am I Allowed to Be Myself?” The Cultural History of Dieting and Body Relations in Modern Finland (LAIHKE) addresses these questions by examining how people in Finland have constructed their relationships with their bodies over time. The project explores how these relationships have been articulated both in public discourse, particularly in the media, and in private, everyday experiences.

The project aims to deepen understanding of how body ideals, especially those concerning girls and women, and lived bodily experiences have been shaped, negotiated, and challenged from the late nineteenth century to the present, through the interaction of media debates and personal experiences.

LAIHKE brings together perspectives from history, media studies, life writing studies, gender studies, and critical fat studies.

The project is funded by the Kone Foundation and will be carried out between 2026 and 2028.