“Refusing appearance anxiety”: A content analysis of body positive posts on Chinese social media

Abstract

“Body positivity” is a global movement trending on social media. It aims to challenge predominant appearance ideals in media and encourage women to accept and appreciate all bodies regardless of appearance. In Western contexts, an increasing number of research has explored the potential of body positive social media to benefit young women’s body image. However, similar research in China is lacking. This study aimed to explore the content of body positivity posts on Chinese social media. Eight hundred eighty-eight posts from Xiaohongshu (one of China’s most popular social media platforms) were coded for positive body image themes, physical appearance-related attributes, and self-compassion themes. The results showed that these posts depicted diverse body sizes and appearances. Additionally, while over 40% of the posts conveyed appearance-focused messages, most contained positive body image themes, and nearly half contained self-compassion themes. The study clarified the content of body positivity posts on Chinese social media and provides theoretical support for future research on body positivity in social media content in China.