Looking Different(ly): Staring and Performativity in the Construction of Adolescent Embodied Outsiderhood Based on Scars Like Wings by Erin Stewart

This article explores how staring informs the textual construction of adolescents’ embodied outsiderhood, that is, the position of being perceived as outside the centre of particular norms. Since staring is an automatic response to an unexpected sight, the act can reveal which embodiments are deemed to diverge from presupposed norms. These norms are conceptualised as dwellings or circles – spaces that can either be inhabited or not – to illustrate the spatial implications of being considered an outsider. An analysis of Erin Stewart’s young adult novel Scars Like Wings (2019) demonstrates the stigmatising effects of staring on the protagonist’s embodied experience and how this shapes her sense of belonging. Examining the specific normative ideas underlying these acts of staring reveals how the protagonist’s age, gender, and (dis)ability intersect to establish her outsiderhood. Reflecting on the performativity of the norms may shed light on their constructed nature, opening up space for a more diversified perspective on embodied performances of adolescence.