‘Hug Me’ by Celina Gao: A Wearable Visualization of the Gender Norms Imposed onto Asian Women
Growing up as a smaller-chested Asian woman, Celina Gao was often bullied and belittled during her teenage years. Now, as an adult who is able to separate her self worth from other people’s opinions of her body, Gao synthesizes her emotions and thoughts into Hug Me. The piece is a wearable corset Gao made by casting her chest and breasts, allowing her to proudly showcase her body part that had caused her great insecurity.
By doing so, Gao is not only embracing herself and her body, but she is also visualizing how patriarchal gender norms dictate and permeate every aspect of a femme’s life, even when it comes to something as personal as a woman’s breasts. This is why Hug Me by Celina Gao is aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals of Gender Equality and Good Health And Well-Being.
In a video shared on Instagram, Gao explains that the piece first stemmed from her desire to allow other people to quite literally walk in her shoes. She thought that the best way other people would be able to understand what it is like to have a body part they are insecure of is to let them be able to try having the body part, hence why Hug Me is a wearable corset. “It stands as a physical protest against the portrayal of large breasts and pink nipples — a societal preference that perpetuates exploitative representations of women,” writes Gao about the piece. It can be concluded that through the experience of wearing the corset, the viewer will see that the essence of being a woman is not confined to the size of their breasts.
A study published on the Dermatology Online Journal found that Asian women are more likely to endorse mainstream beauty standards similar to white women, which also includes fuller breasts. This phenomenon often leads to Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) as these beauty standards are often impossible to achieve without surgical help. Hence, the need for pieces such as Hug Me that further liberates Asian women from the need to conform to certain body and beauty standards.
Celina Gao’s Hug Me powerfully transforms a personal struggle into a profound commentary on societal expectations imposed on Asian women. By casting her chest to create a wearable corset, Gao reclaims her body and challenges the patriarchal beauty standards that have long dictated women’s self-perception. Through its interactive nature, Hug Me allows viewers to experience the weight of insecurities tied to societal norms, encouraging them to question and dismantle these unrealistic standards. Gao’s work liberates Asian women—and all femmes—from conforming to narrow beauty ideals, advocating for self-worth and authenticity in a world that often reduces identity to appearance.
Find out more about Hug Me by Celina Gao and her other pieces on her Behance or Instagram @ceiyun.