Self Concept and the Ideal Body of Women (Phenomenology Study of followers’ Instagram Account @Hughes.Dewi)

Abstract

Some studies reveal that many Indonesian women are not satisfied with their body shape. To get a perfect shape, everyone has their own way to make it happen. One trend that is happening among Indonesian people is by following tips and information about healthy food, diet, or ideal body that is shared on social media accounts, especially Instagram. Indonesian celebrity named Dewi Hughes have succesful in reducing her weight about 75 kg by doing her popular diet method ”diet kenyang”. Her diet method basically is only consuming fruits and vegetables as a “real food”. Using Instagram account @Hughes.Dewi, she shares her way of diet, tips, recipes and her diet experiences which gained lots of attentions and followers. This research takes the perspective of symbolic interactionism proposed and developed by George Herbert Mead, Charles Horton Cooley and Herbert Blumer. It is this principle that helps us understand the formation of individual self and the socialization of the individual into the wider society. On this research, there are two women as informant which are followers of Instagram account @Hughes.Dewi. They are inspired by Hughes’ succesful diet and also doing diet to reduce their weight. This research will explore about how their self concept related the ideal body of woman based on mind, self and society. The research finds that the self concept regarding ideal body of women still follows the growing stereotypes in the society. When the mass media, social media, the profession, culture and society construct the ideal body shape. Women with bodies which not ideal will tend to feel bad and required to be able to lose weight and achieve the ideal body shape. A slim and skinny body shape is become an additional value to have a good and ideal appearance. Having a healthy body is the more desired by women