Aimée Mullins on prosthetic freedom and identity

In a 2010 interview published in art press 2 in 2012, athlete, model, and actress Aimée Mullins discusses her relationship with prosthetic limbs, rejecting the label of cyborg or hybrid. She emphasizes that her prosthetics are part of her body, not mere objects, and critiques academic treatments that objectify her. Mullins recounts her collaboration with Alexander McQueen, whose designed legs are now at MoMA, and her emotional visit to the 'Extreme Beauty' exhibition at the Met. She distinguishes between augmentation and hybridity, asserting her humanity as the base. Mullins describes the pain of wearing prosthetics, the grief of never feeling sand or grass, and her childhood identification with 'The Bionic Woman.' She advocates for choice in prosthetic design, moving beyond medical replacement to celebrate difference. Mullins continues to dream of new legs—for flying, swimming, made of porcelain or feathers—and works to change perceptions of the body through the Women's Sports Foundation and advocacy for physical activity.