Bikinis and other s/pacific n/oceans

Pacific Islander bodies, despite nuclear destruction and militarist tourism, continue to resist depoliticization. The bikini bathing suit, symbolizing both female commodification and colonial erasure, serves as a tool for diverting attention from indigenous decolonizing efforts. This study employs feminist, psychoanalytic, and Marxist theories to analyze how the bikini both reveals and conceals political realities, while also celebrating nuclear power. It highlights the resilience of s/pacific bodies in challenging tourist and militarist notions, offering a critical perspective on the intersection of colonialism, commodification, and resistance.

Teaiwa, T. K. (2023). Bikinis and other s/pacific n/oceans. Unequal Sisters, 77–88. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003053989-9