The Thing with Feathers

Chloë Robinson had an unusual transition to adulthood. After surviving a lightning strike and beginning college, she grappled with post-traumatic objectification. In this personal essay, she reflects on the bodily discipline we inflict on each other-and on our feathered friends. Drawing on Charles Darwin, Betty Friedan, and Lauren Fadeley Veyette, she imagines a world where the body doesn't come first.