What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedThe Forbidden Body
Douglas E. Cowan · Book · 2022
If you loved The Forbidden Body, start with The Exorcism of God (Alejandro Hidalgo, 2022) — a film on the same thread. Below: 4 films, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to The Forbidden Body across media.
You were drawn to The Forbidden Body because of the way religious authority and societal mandates dictate the boundaries of human identity.
Films on the same thread
Forbidden Fruits
Meredith Alloway · Film · 2026
Explores: toxic femininity, consumerism, female friendship.
Like The Forbidden Body, this film examines how ritual practices and controlled environments are used to enforce specific performative identities and marginalize those who challenge the established group hierarchy.
The Wicker Man
Robin Hardy · Film · 1973
Explores: Religious Conflict, Isolation, Loss of Innocence.
This classic film mirrors the investigation into religious control found in The Forbidden Body by highlighting the inevitable, often violent, clash between external religious mandates and individual bodily autonomy.
The Substance
Coralie Fargeat · Film · 2024
Shares 2 threads with The Forbidden Body: Body Image, Body Horror.
If The Forbidden Body piqued your interest in the body as a site of conflict, this film offers a visceral extension by exploring the destructive obsession with physical perfection.
The Exorcism of God
Alejandro Hidalgo · Film · 2022
Shares a thread with The Forbidden Body: Religious Horror.
This film expands on the religious themes in The Forbidden Body, specifically focusing on how the burden of secrets and institutional faith can physically manifest as a tormenting conflict.
Series on the same thread
Midnight Mass
Mike Flanagan · Series · 2021
Shares a thread with The Forbidden Body: Religious Horror.
Much like the analysis in The Forbidden Body, this series explores the dangerous intersection of religious fanaticism, community rituals, and the profound loss of faith when institutions exert control.
American Horror Story
Ryan Murphy · Series · 2011
Explores: Trauma, Social Commentary, Identity.
The Forbidden Body explores how religious structures define our existence, a concept echoed in this anthology as it dissects power dynamics and the way institutional environments shape human identity.
Under the Banner of Heaven
Dustin Lance Black · Series · 2022
Explores: Loss of Faith, Religious Extremism, Family Secrets.
This series examines the same themes of religious extremism and the moral conflict of the individual that Douglas E. Cowan highlights throughout the pages of The Forbidden Body.
Evil
Michelle King · Series · 2019
Explores: Skepticism vs. Faith, Good vs. Evil, The Nature of Belief.
This show investigates the tension between skepticism and faith, mirroring the critical inquiry into the nature of belief and religious ritual found throughout The Forbidden Body.
Podcasts on the same thread
Maintenance Phase
Aubrey Gordon & Michael Hobbes · Podcast · 2026
Explores: scientific literacy, consumer protection, critical thinking.
Just as The Forbidden Body deconstructs the societal control of the physical form, this podcast applies critical thinking to dismantle the junk science that governs our modern body image.
Monsters Among Us
Derek Hayes | Audioboom Studios · Podcast · 2026
Explores: Unexplained Phenomena, First-hand Testimony, Atmospheric Horror.
If the religious imagination in The Forbidden Body fascinated you, this collection of personal testimonies captures how the human experience is shaped by encounters with the unexplained and supernatural.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is The Forbidden Body a historical analysis of religious practices?
Yes, The Forbidden Body examines how religious imagination has historically attempted to control human bodies. It explores how religious mandates and beliefs have influenced how bodies are used in ritual practices, how they are identified, and why they are often hidden or marginalized throughout history.
What themes does The Forbidden Body cover regarding physical display?
The Forbidden Body addresses how religious beliefs dictate the meaning of the body and how it should be displayed or hidden. It investigates the ways that religious mandates influence what individuals do with their bodies, with whom they interact, and the circumstances under which these actions occur.
Does The Forbidden Body discuss how religion marginalizes people?
Yes, The Forbidden Body explores how religious belief and mandate affect the use of the body to identify and marginalize individuals. It analyzes the historical context of these religious efforts to control the body and the resulting impact on social and individual identity.
When was The Forbidden Body published?
The Forbidden Body, written by Douglas E. Cowan, was published in 2022. The book provides a detailed look at the intersection of religious history and the regulation of the human body, focusing on how religious doctrines have shaped physical behavior and social norms over time.