In “Rendering the Unspoken,” New Yorker cartoonist Liza Donnelly talks about “the social and political implications of the woman’s body” while showing the cartoons she’s created over the years. Our bodies are always with us, she says. “Our bodies have a life of their own.”

She looks at milestones in the life of a woman’s body—onset of her period, development of her breasts, sexual relationships, growth of her hair, pregnancy, birth, and menopause … all great topics to reflect on and write about.

“What if you asked your body about its major milestones?” Donnelly asks.
That’s a great writing prompt! Body, tell me what you’ve been through. What are the big experiences of your life? How did you get through them? How do you feel now?

“If you have a relationship with your body,” she says, “it usually involves a third party. Society.”

Ain’t that the truth? Oh, yes, it is. There’s so much wisdom and humor in Donnelly’s Ted Talk, I hope you’ll give yourself twenty minutes to have a cup of tea and enjoy this video. And when you have more time, I hope you’ll reflect on it and write about it! See if it brings up memories for you. Make a list of connections to your life while you watch; later you can use the items on your list as writing prompts.

• Learn more about Liza Donnelly on her website.
• Check out her book, When Do They Serve the Wine? The Folly, Flexibility, and Fun of Being a Woman.
• Read her posts on culture and politics at Forbes.
• View “Inside a Cartoonist’s World—Liza Donnelly,” a brief video on the art of creating cartoons.

Read more posts exploring the feminine.