My Bum Is Genetic So Deal With It, is a narration of how one African woman deals with her abundant bum. Napo Masheane, who is also popularly known as a poet, possesses one, and she draws material from experience and additional research on issues faced by women with big bums.
The results are a love/hate combo, delivered in a satirical girl-to-girl manner. “This is not a cheap thrill,” Napo forewarns. “This bum has plans.” She says after striding onto the stage hoisting a carryall bag on her heard dressed in horizontal lines that accentuate her behind. Through My Bum Is Genetic So Deal with It, we were to take a closer look at the bum.
The stage is set with a free standing full length mirror, two frames suspended by wires, and an outlined side view of female form is drawn three blocks on each side of the stage. One is ‘full figured’ and the other slim. The figures are drawn on three blocks that suggest a magician’s box where a woman is sawed in half, which in itself is significant of women’s self image issues.
Napo references Sartjie Baartman; she talks about issues that women talk about in whispers: stretch marks, trying jeans and skirts that do not fit in stores. ‘Unwanted’ male appreciation, of the body part that they feel uncomfortable with. In many African societies big bums (on women) have been the epitome of sex. However, due to portrayal of Western standards of beauty in the media, many have issues with theirs. In a nutshell My Bum Is Genetic So Deal With It is all about bum appreciation.
