Loving myself through thick and thin: Appearance contingent self-worth, gendered racial microaggressions and African American women’s body appreciation

Abstract

Contrary to previous literature, recent studies have indicated that African American women are reporting similar rates of body dissatisfaction as their European American counterparts. Yet, little is known about contextual factors, such as gendered racial microaggressions and their association with body appreciation, and whether appearance contingent self-worth accounts for this relationship. Consistent with intersectionality theory, this study examined appearance-contingent self-worth as a mediator between stress related to experiencing sexually objectifying gendered racial microaggressions and body appreciation. African American emerging adult women (N = 143), predominately from the Southern United States, completed a self-report measure of gendered racial microaggressions, appearance contingent self-worth, and body appreciation. Results demonstrated that appearance contingent self-worth, at least in part, mediated the relationship between stress related to gendered racial microaggressions and African American women’s appreciation for their bodies. It is imperative future body image interventions aimed at African American emerging adult women address factors, such as appearance contingent self-worth and gendered racial microaggressions, in their efforts improve body appreciation.