{Dessie's} shop was a unique institution in Salinas. It was a woman's world. Here all the rules, and the fears that created the iron rules, went down. The door was closed to men. It was a sanctuary where women could be themselves- smelly, wanton, mystic, conceited, truthful, and interested. The whalebone corsets came off at Dessie's, the sacred corsets that moulded and warped woman-flesh into goddess-flesh. At Dessie's they were women who went to the toilet and overate and scratched and farted. And from this freedom came laughter, roars of laughter.
Dessie's shop in Salinas served as a unique retreat exclusively for women, providing a space where they could escape societal norms and expectations. Within its walls, the fears and pressure of conforming to rigid rules were lifted, allowing women to embrace their true selves. The shop became a sanctuary where they could express their individuality freely, unencumbered by the constraints often placed on them by male-dominated society.
In this environment, women shed their whalebone corsets, which symbolized the way society shaped their identities into something unrealistic. At Dessie's, they could indulge in their natural behaviors, experiencing a sense of liberation that encouraged genuine laughter and camaraderie. This atmosphere of authenticity fostered joy and a deep sense of connection among the women, celebrating their diverse personalities and experiences without judgment.
