ABSTRACT
Fat liberation movements seeking to dismantle systematic discrimination against fat bodies have been active in the U.S for over 50 years. Body positivity specifically has gained immense traction in the last decade. Recently, body positivity has been used more widely to, supposedly, individually challenge general ideologies that value thinness and fitness. Utilizing 200 posts from Instagram and 200 videos from TikTok, we examine the ways that social media frames body positivity and is an important vector for sending messages regarding ideal bodies. We find that body positivity discourse on social media is fragmented. While messages of “self-love” abound, those who are afforded self-love are those who still maintain somewhat hegemonic body standards. Additionally, we find that body positivity is also often linked to bodily changes rooted in weight loss and healthism, appropriating the original meaning of #bodypositivity particularly through the use of hashtags to influence social media algorithms.
Acknowledgments
We would like to send our sincerest gratitude to the anonymous reviewers, Dr. Elizabeth Lawrence, Dr. Michael Borer, Dr. Annaliese Grant, and Emily Wagner for their thoughtful commitment and time to providing guidance and feedback on earlier versions of this paper.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Notes
1. Brazilian Butt Lift.
2. (Bell and McNaughton Citation2007; Bordo Citation2013; Fikkan and Rothblum Citation2012; Orbach Citation2006; Saguy Citation2012)
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Notes on contributors
Torisha Khonach
Torisha Khonach, is a PhD Candidate in Sociology at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Her research focuses on the ways bodies are controlled and expected to perform in various spaces, including sports, medicine, and social media. Torisha is dedicated to dismantling narratives which construct some bodies as inherently unfit and morally wrong, particularly fat bodies in relation to reproductive justice and access to medical care. Her work can be found in International Review for the Sociology of Sport and Fat Studies.
Anna Kurz
Anna Kurz, is a sociologist from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. They have a deep passion for addressing various forms of inequality within society and is looking forward to pursuing their Ph.D. in Sociology or Social Psychology. Their mission is to bridge the gap between academia and the public with tangible solutions, working toward a society that champions social justice and equality for all.