The Bread Exam

Traditional customs meant that Lebanese women rarely talked openly about their bodies. However, their respect for tradition presented a different opportunity to encourage conversation, by drawing on one of the oldest customs in the world: baking bread. The Bread Exam is a recipe video in which a traditional Lebanese baker, Um Ali, demonstrates the steps of a breast self-exam through a similar gesture: the act of kneading and pressing dough. The gestures are shown without a single mention of breasts, transforming an intimate subject into an acceptable, everyday experience.