I remember, when I was a kid, watching my mother jam herself into her girdle - a piece of equipment so rigid it could stand up on its own - and I remember her coming home from fancy parties and racing upstairs to extricate herself from its cruel iron grip.

Summary

This quote highlights the author's childhood memory of observing their mother struggling with a restrictive and uncomfortable undergarment called a girdle. The phrase "jam herself into her girdle" suggests the physical effort required to wear it, emphasizing its inflexible nature. The mention of the girdle's ability to stand upright on its own and the mother's rush to remove it after social events further convey the discomfort and constraint it imposed. This quote serves as a vivid depiction of the physical discomfort women endured in their pursuit of societal beauty standards during that era.

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