Grotesque describes something very strange and ugly, often in a way that mixes human, animal, or plant forms in weird ways. It can also describe behavior that seems wildly inappropriate or shocking.
From French “grotesque,” from Italian “grottesco,” meaning “of a cave,” from “grotta,” “grotto, cave.” It originally referred to strange, fanciful decorations found in ancient Roman underground rooms.
Grotesque started as an art word for the bizarre designs discovered in buried Roman rooms—caves of weird half-human, half-plant figures. Over time, we pulled it out of the cave and used it for any twisted, disturbing ugliness.
‘Grotesque’ has been used in art and literature to stigmatize bodies and faces that deviate from narrow beauty standards, often targeting women and disabled people. It has also been applied to women who transgress gender norms, casting them as monstrous.
Avoid calling people or their bodies grotesque; if used, apply it to artistic styles or fictional creatures, not real individuals or groups.
["distorted","macabre","surreal","highly exaggerated"]
When analyzing historical uses of ‘grotesque’ for women, highlight how such labels enforced restrictive norms and erased their agency and complexity.
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