(PM-12) The body that is seen and the pleasure that is felt: an analysis of female sexuality in anorexia

Abstract This study addresses the interrelationship between female sexuality, body image, and anorexia nervosa, in light of the constructivist epistemology of Maturana and Varela. Considering sexuality as an essential dimension of quality of life, it seeks to understand how eating disorders affect women’s perception of their bodies and their experience of sexual pleasure. A theoretical review shows that sociocultural beauty standards and historical myths about women are affected by distortions in self-image, undermining sexual autonomy and affective relationships. It is concluded that the protection of body image is a subjective and relational process, requiring an integrative clinical approach centered on listening and the re-signification of women’s experiences. Keywords: Female sexuality, body image, anorexia, subjectivity, Maturana and Varela. Objective To analyze how anorexia nervosa impacts women’s sexuality and body image, from a relational and subjective perspective grounded in the epistemology of Maturana and Varela. Method Theoretical study based on an interdisciplinary literature review, involving scientific works in sexuality, psychology, sociology, and constructivist epistemology. The analysis was guided by the notion of “objectivity in parentheses,” focusing on the construction of reality and self-image. Results Women with anorexia present impairments in sexual functioning, especially in desire and motivation, associated with body dissatisfaction and the repression of sexuality. Negative body image is influenced by cultural norms and interpersonal relationships. The constructivist approach highlights the possibility of re-signifying this image through interventions centered on language and the therapeutic bond. Financing No conflict.