Standards Of Beauty Research Articles

Skin-Lightening Product Use Among South Asian Americans: Cross-Sectional Survey Study

Background Despite their potential for adverse health effects, skin-lightening products remain popular among South Asian Americans. Objective This study investigates attitudes toward skin tone and the prevalence and adverse effects of skin-lightening product use among South Asian Americans. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study, recruiting and surveying 175 women or nonbinary individuals meeting the following inclusion criteria: (1) lived in the United States, (2) identified as South Asian, and (3) were raised by parents born in South Asian countries. Results Of the 175 participants, 55 (31%) respondents used a skin-lightening product before. Parental pressure to use skin-lightening products and decreased time spent in the United States were significantly associated with skin-lightening product use (odds ratio [OR] 8.51, 95% CI 3.33-21.78, P<.001, and OR 0.70, 95% CI 0.52-0.96, P=.03, respectively). Although only 6 of the 55 (11%) users reported being aware of the potential side effects of skin-lightening products, 33 (60%) reported adverse effects, with acne, skin sensitivity, and dry skin being the most common. Users and nonusers equally endorsed statements associating lighter skin with increased attractiveness (P=.31), marriageability (P=.94), social status (P=.98), self-esteem (P=.73), and respect received from others (P=.74). Conclusions The use of skin-lightening products among South Asian Americans is common and linked to social and psychological factors. Parental pressure and cultural beauty standards may play a significant role in perpetuating this practice. This study highlights the need for educational campaigns about the potential health risks associated with skin-lightening and increased efforts to challenge harmful beauty standards.

‘El narco está de moda’: Corporeality, Gender Violence and Narcoculture in Culiacán, Sinaloa

This article considers how the figure of the buchona can be seen as another form of victimization for women in north-western Mexico. It focuses on previous representations of gender violence by the photographer Mayra Martell in her photography series Ensayo de la Identidad (2005–2020) and her more recent project Buchonas (2017–2023), composed of six items, including the photography book Culichi Town (2018) and the playing/ collectors’ cards, Plebes (2019). This article argues that visible femininity associated with certain (often prosthetic) beauty standards can be considered a victim of a hyperviolent machista presence, in line with Sayak Valencia’s theorizations in Capitalismo Gore (2018), using the work of comedian Cid Vela’s alter ego, El Ezequiel, singer of ‘narcocorridos’ – ballads popular in Mexican drug culture – to demonstrate how, rather than use satire to critique systemic gender violence, Vela’s work revictimizes these women.

A Study of Female Body Shaming in the Fashion and Clothing Industry -Take Brandy Melville as an Example

Since ancient times, each era has had its own unique standard of beauty. The standards of beauty in modern society are very different from those in ancient times. In modern society, thin is beautiful, and women wear clothes to highlight their figures. This may not be a personal standard of beauty, but it has spread throughout society and is respected by many people. BM is an Italian clothing brand that goes by the full name Brandy Melville and is known for having only one size. BM style is a clothing style based on the clothes produced by this brand, which rose in the 1980s. Taking the BM style as an example, this paper will explore the origin, characteristics, popular reasons, and existing disputes of the BM style to demonstrate the aesthetic standards of todays society. This kind of aesthetic standard first produces certain negative effects on the body. Women who dont fit this criterion will get there in unhealthy ways. Secondly, it also has an impact on womens psychology. If woman does not meet this standard, they will be discriminated against by the society, by man, even by other woman who fits that standard. These negative effects show how ridiculous this aesthetic is.

Ethical Issues Surrounding Facial Feminization Surgery: Five Major Considerations.

Facial feminization surgery (FFS) is a form of gender-affirming care for the transgender population that is currently a highly debated topic both inside and outside of the medical community. Currently, a paucity of information is available in plastic surgery literature on ethical issues surrounding FFS. In this paper, we discuss 5 major ethical considerations for plastic surgeons with regard to FFS: (1) how society's changing view of gender has impacted the importance of FFS; (2) whether FFS is medically necessary and should be covered by insurance; (3) to what extent resources should be invested in removing barriers to access FFS; (4) how patient selection criteria should address the irreversibility of the procedure and age of consent; and (5) how femininity and beauty standards contribute to each other and whether they can be disentangled. This paper aims to analyze the arguments made for and against each of these 5 nuanced issues and to expand these debates from the theoretical to the practical by suggesting approaches for reconciliation.

Research on the Influence of Mass Media on the Development of Fashion Trend from the Perspective of New Media

This study aims to explore the intricate relationship between mass media and the fashion industry. With the rise of a plethora of media platforms, mass media has permeated every aspect of daily life, including the fashion industry. While mass media has played a significant role in shaping fashion trends, it has also led to a culture of fast fashion, compromising environmental sustainability and worker welfare. Moreover, the focus on unrealistic beauty standards in the media has resulted in body image issues among consumers. To better understand the impact of mass media on fashion, this study is divided into three main sections. The first section provides a brief history of mass media and its influence on fashion. The second section examines the role of mass media in shaping consumer behavior and the rise of fast fashion. Finally, the third section explores the challenges and opportunities for creating a more sustainable and inclusive fashion industry in the age of mass media. By examining the complex dynamics between mass media and fashion, this study contributes to ongoing discussions around the need for a more responsible and equitable fashion industry. It is crucial to gain a deeper understanding of the role of mass media in shaping cultural values, social norms, and environmental practices for creating a sustainable and inclusive fashion industry.

Bondage of Standard: Interaction between K-pop Culture and Male Gaze

In the context of contemporary social entertainment prosperity, Korean pop culture, known as K-pop, subtly and gradually influences young people and the world due to its globalization and attraction to a large number of young viewers. However, because of the restrictions of artistic expression in the past, which created a patriarchal social system, and the glutton of pursuing fans finance, the male gaze is still present in typical manifestations of Korean entertainment culture such as music videos, song lyrics, and television dramas, and has an undetectable effect on womens self-awareness and perception of beauty standard. Contacting interviews and going through case studies, the paper analyzes the embodiment of the male gaze in Korean popular culture and its influence on women and concludes that established under aesthetic hegemony and following the male gaze, K-pop culture gradually undermined womens self-awareness and conclusion that their pursuit of diverse beauty due to its popularity and expansion.

BEAUTY MYTH AND FEMALE RESISTANCE IN THE MOVIE I FEEL PRETTY

This paper aims to describe the beauty myth and the female resistance in the movie I Feel Pretty. This research uses gender study which focuses on beauty myth and the female resistance towards the beauty myth. The object material in this study is a chick lit movie, I Feel Pretty. The formal object of this research is gender study that focuses on beauty myth. Data analysis was performed through qualitative descriptive techniques by interpreting the data found in the movie I Feel Pretty and linked to beauty myth theories. Beauty myth has been promoted through the mass media, including the movie I Feel Pretty. However, there are also various forms of resistance performed by the female character to challenge the beauty myth and promote a more inclusive and diverse definition of beauty. This paper tries to highlight some resistances towards beauty myth in this movie, which are being confident, being passionate, and having a good personality. This research eventually finds out that having these traits is a form of resistance against the normalized unreasonable beauty standard.

Aesthetic Clinic and Beauty Myths in Indonesia: Discourse Analysis of Beauty Representation in Instagram Accounts

The purpose of this study is to uncover the beauty myths displayed in the Instagram accounts of aesthetic clinics in Indonesia. This study uses a qualitative research method with a critical discourse analysis approach by Sara Mills. Results indicates that; First, the existence of women is shown as an object, where women are victims of symbols and beauty standards that arereconstructed and reproduced by the subject (the storyteller), namely the Instagram accounts of beauty clinics @dermaster_id, @ertosbeautyclinic, and @natashaskincare. Women as objects shown cannot be separated from the beauty myth. Second, there are two categories of beauty representations formed in the Instagram accounts of beauty clinics @dermaster_id, @ertosbeautyclinic, and @natashaskincare, namely men beauty representations, which consist of smooth faces, young looks, and firm jaws, and women beauty representations consist of; (1) thin cheeks, firm jaw, and firm skin, (2) smooth, acne-free, and attractive skin, (3) glass skin and slim, and (4) halal beauty. The implications of this research are this study is expected to contribute information and enrich the repertoire of social science especially sociology, also for the development of research on sociology of body, feminism study, and sociology of gender and media.

Stigma Warna Kulit terhadap Standar Kecantikan di Kalangan Mahasiswa Prodi Tadris IPS UIN Mataram Tahun 2023

Currently, beauty standards are still being discussed among the public. The emergence of stigma or the view that beaty must have white skin, tall, thin body, sharp nose, and so on. This emerging stigma then encourages society, specially women, to then compete to have white skin. The emergence of views about the standard of beaty must be white, this appears inseparable from the influence of social media on the internet. Because at this time the internet has been transformed as a need that must be met. On the internet, specially social media such us Instagram, Facebook, you-tube, and so on, it is shown how many beauty standards are currently emerging. That why society becomes indoctrinated to be able to get the predicate of beauty as everyone longs for. In this study, we wanted to find out whether the stigma regarding beauty standards, as we have mentioned above, also occurs among students of social sciences study program at this time. Our research uses descriptive qualitative methods which will describe social situations, events or events that are happening.

“Don’t Bother Me Unless You are Good-Quality!” - Youzhi (優質) (Good-Quality) Discourse on Gay Dating Platform in China

ABSTRACT Using multiple methods and qualitative research design (including analysis of online dating profiles, digital ethnography, and in-depth interviews), I examine the discriminatory nature and mechanism of youzhi (優質), a neoliberal discourse widespread on the Chinese gay dating platform “Blued.” This paper also explores how users interpret the connotations of youzhi and utilize it while justifying and normalizing the usage. My findings consider that the discourse of youzhi can integrate a variety of human qualities and generate a hierarchy with establishing an image of first-class citizens in the Chinese gay community. Specifically on Blued, the connotation of youzhi has been reframed into a one-sided, superficial variant through the site’s pre-configurated attributes and marketing promotions. This underlines the sexual and erotic capital with physical aspects of gay hegemonic masculinity as the currency. Given its discriminatory essence, which could risk the user’s desirability, youzhi is still widely utilized on Blued to deter the ones lacking sexual capital from contacting, promote the user’s image, and attract the ones who meet the stringent beauty standards. Based on my findings, the users rationalize and normalize these actions as solely following the logic of how Blued is configured and what it has constantly promoted.

A Discourse of Beauty Standards in Japanese Beauty Product Advertise-ment (Japanese Women Perspective)

This study uses a Fairclough Critical Discourse Analysis to analyze advertisements' textual and visual elements and discursive and sociocultural analysis of beauty product advertisements in Japan. Data were taken and studied from several examples of beauty product advertisements and interviews with seven Japanese women as informants about the discourse in beauty product advertisements. In addition, the speakers were also asked to express their opinions regarding the beauty standards in Japanese society today.
 The results show that advertising has a role in reproducing and maintaining the standard of beauty in Japanese society. The image of women with clean and shining white skin is still the standard for Japanese women. Taglines and beauty products in Japan offer clean white skin as demanded in Japanese society. From this, it is also known that advertising producers use beauty constructions formed in society to make advertisements for beauty products. This causes the discourse on Japanese beauty standards to persist in Japanese society.

Personal Beauty and Personal Agency

AbstractWe make choices about our own appearance and evaluate others' choices – every day. These choices are meaningful for us as individuals and as members of communities. But many features of personal appearance are due to luck, and many cultural beauty standards make some groups and individuals worse off (this is called “lookism”). So, how are we to square these two facets of personal appearance? And how are we to evaluate agency in the context of personal beauty? I identify three ways of responding to these questions: beauty advocacy, beauty skepticism, and beauty revisionism. Advocates connect an honorific sense of beauty with personal character. Skeptics focus on beauty standards, and primarily offer a social critique of beauty standards. Some skeptics suggest embracing other aesthetic ideals – even ugliness. Revisionists critique beauty standards, but retain an honorific sense of beauty. Each position offers tools to evaluate personal agency as aesthetic agency, whether first‐personally or through our appreciation of others' appearance.

Social Responsibility of Advertising and Female Beauty: A Document Analysis of Laws and Regulations in Brazil and Portugal

This work sought to verify - from an exploratory, intuitive, and empirical view -, how advertising has been regulated in Brazil and Portugal in a non-exhaustive way, observing laws and regulatory guidelines that already exist in these countries and those that are in process, checking its social responsibility in the face of the representativeness and diversity of female beauty. Through qualitative Document Analysis, highlighting the main public documents online found in recent reports, newspapers, official government websites, blogs, and social media, an attempt was made to observe and compare these countries that are historically and culturally linked, differing in cultural, social, political and economic matters. Therefore, in Brazil, there are already some norms to indicate the use of image editing and guidelines to avoid stereotyping of female beauty in advertising. In Portugal, there are already amendments to the advertising code to make beauty standards real and ensure the principle of veracity with the consumer. Both countries already have similar protective laws regarding the “non-objectification” of the woman's body in advertising. However, it was observed that despite the existence of these progresses, there is still a long way to change the deconstruction of the collective imagination about the aesthetic pressure on the female body. Brands/companies need to be aware of these laws/norms and apply them in practice, as well as the need to apply an educational form of awareness for society in general, aiming to be more aligned in the search for more responsible advertising directed to women and for all.

The Power of Chaos

The Power of Chaos

Non-Sexualized Images and Body-Neutral Messaging Foster Body Positivity Online

The body-positive movement is one of many decentralized, user-generated movements on social media that seek to engender positive societal change. In support of the body-positive movement, social media users employ a variety of messages and images to advocate for more inclusive beauty standards across different online platforms. We examine how the nature of body-positive messaging (mainstream body positivity vs body neutrality), the degree to which images are sexualized (sexualized vs non-sexualized), and the platform that hosts body-positive content (Instagram/Flickr/blog) influence how people evaluate body-positive content online. The results indicate that the more participants felt messaging was body-neutral, the more morally appropriate and less self-interested they found the posts. The extent to which participants felt messaging was morally appropriate also led them to embrace more inclusive beauty standards. Moreover, non-sexualized (vs sexualized) images were rated more morally appropriate and less self-interested. Implications for promoting body positivity and other prosocial movements online are discussed.

Reclaiming tradition, fashioning citizenship: Ankara in contemporary Brazilian Afrocentric fashion

This article explores the ways in which fashion consumption shaped the understandings of citizenship and belonging in colonial and postcolonial Nigeria and Brazil. It focuses on ankara, a printed textile that was brought to West Africa by European merchants and Christian missionaries. The article examines how African materials, such as ankara, challenged modern beauty standards and have been used to control people during colonization. In Nigeria, ankara became a symbol of the new Christian citizen, while in contemporary Brazil, it was used to challenge western fashion and celebrate African heritage. The article uses visual art, literature and interviews with fashion designers in Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo and Salvador to show how ankara has become a part of Afrocentric Brazilian fashion. Overall, the study of ankara shows how fashion has been used as a tool of oppression and how its oppressive history is in the process of changing, thanks to modern Afro-Brazilian fashion designers.

How exposure to body neutrality content on TikTok affects young women’s body image and mood

Body neutrality aims to encourage a non-judgmental attitude towards the body and prioritize functionality over appearance. This study examined the impact of exposure to TikTok body neutrality content on young women’s body image and mood. The sample comprised 189 undergraduate women (Mage = 19.25, SD = 1.98) who were randomly assigned to view one of three compilation TikTok videos on body neutrality, thin ideal, or art. Controlling for pre-test measures, results showed that women in the body neutrality group reported higher functionality appreciation and body satisfaction than women in the thin ideal and art control groups. Higher levels of positive mood and fewer upward appearance comparisons were reported by women in the body neutrality group relative to the thin ideal group. Although women in the body neutrality and thin ideal groups thought about their appearance and what they were wearing whilst viewing the videos, women in the body neutrality group reported that those thoughts were more positive than those in the thin ideal group. Findings demonstrate that brief exposure to body neutrality content on TikTok may induce immediate positive body image and mood in young women whilst providing a useful alternative to the unrealistic beauty standards popularized on such platforms.

How False Social Media Beauty Standards Lead To Body Dysmorphia

Social media apps, owing to their technological advancements and applications of photo editing tools, have digitalized the female body and in doing so have led to the creation of unrealistic beauty ideals. Social media along with cultural factors created a socio-digital construct in which an attractive and successful woman embodies European features. Repeated exposure to this kind of imagery has made women feel uncomfortable in their bodies. Objectification of young women to such an extent has created an environment where an increasing number of women are suffering from body image issues, such as body dysmorphic disorder. A mental health condition, whereby people utilize most of their time worrying about perceived flaws in their appearance. The excess of this disorder can lead to poor self-esteem, self-harm, depression, and even suicide. It is most common in teens and young adults. This study investigates the patterns of toxic social media trends, how they are being integrated into society and why young women are falling prey to them. The research methodology comprised of a mixed-method approach. It was conducted in two stages: the first half consisted of a Google survey which was shared online with Facebook Female-centric groups besides Instagram and WhatsApp.In the second stage, in-depth interviews of eight women, belonging to different backgrounds offitness trainer, psychologist, feminist writer, model, nutritionist, and three students from the age groups of 18, 21, and 24 were sampled. The reason for opting mixed method was to strengthen the study and enhance its authenticity through in-depth interview analysis.

Feminist Consumerism Discourse in Dove Advertisements on Dove US YouTube Channel

The objective of this research is to find out how the feminist consumerism discourse described in “Dove” beauty in terms of gender identity, fashion, beauty standards, and feminine beauty ideology by Talbot (2020). Feminist consumerism discourse is an ideology that forms a person or group to carry out the process of using or consuming goods produced sustainably based only on desires, not needs. This research used a descriptive qualitative method. The source of data in this research is Dove advertisements were taken from the Dove US YouTube channel. Data collection was done by downloading, watching, transcribing, selecting, and coding based on Talbot’s theory. Data analysis cam carried out by presenting data, describing the context and situation, interpreting the data, and concluding the results of data analysis. The data for this research are 11 feminist consumerism discourse data in Dove advertisements to support the analytical process that the researcher is conducting. The researcher found that several elements of the feminist consumerism discourse that can be seen in the Dove advertisements video are in four aspects, such as gendered identity, fashion, beauty standards, and feminine beauty ideology. From the several aspects above, the feminist consumerism discourse is found in Dove advertisements and there are also persuasive elements.

Decoding the gendered design and (dis)affordances of face-editing technologies in China

AI-powered face-editing technologies, such as face filters and beauty apps, are widely used for appearance enhancement. However, such tools often perpetuate rigid beauty standards, thereby risking the reinforcement of harmful gender norms. While prior research primarily focuses on the experiences of female users of face-editing technologies, this study scrutinizes their impact on male users. We examine the gendered design of face-editing tools through a feature analysis of a set of Chinese beauty apps (Study 1), followed by interviews with 30 male users to understand their perceptions and experiences regarding these apps (Study 2). Our findings reveal that beauty apps potentially obstruct male users' efforts in appearance enhancement and embody hegemonic masculinity. To overcome the disaffordances of beauty apps, male users employed various strategies, including manual editing, self-censorship, and social validation. Drawing on these findings, we propose recommendations for more inclusive, gender-sensitive design in face-editing technologies.