(Re)shaping the self: An ethnographic study of the embodied and spatial practices of women who use drugs

摘要: Abstract While gendered experiences of drug use have been well-established, understanding how women resist structures that constrain their agency is important for mitigating drug-related harms, especially as overdose has become North America's leading cause accidental death. Drawing on the intersectional risk environments WWUD, this ethnographic study examined expectations women's use, appearance, and comportment influenced vulnerability to within context a fentanyl-driven crisis. This community-engaged ethnography, conducted in Vancouver, Canada from May 2017 December 2018, included in-depth interviews with 35 marginally-housed WWUD (transgender-inclusive) approximately 100 h fieldwork single room accommodation (SRA) housing an established street-based scene. Data were analyzed thematically attention embodiment, agency, intersectionality. Findings highlight normative violence impacted space, both scene SRAs. To efforts ‘discipline’ bodies, participants engaged situated gender performances. Physical appearance was also deemed critical managing disclosure. Participants adopted embodied practices, including altered consumption methods or injecting less visible areas, conceal peers at times, partners. harms associated involuntary disclosure, often used alone SRAs public spaces. such practices allowed exert constraining systems, they concurrently heightened risk. demonstrate everyday acts resistance through which increased but elevated Implementing gender-specific programs increase bodily control (e.g. low-threshold services personal care, women-focused harm reduction support) are needed reduce WWUD.