Week 7: The Hyper-Sexualization and Aestheticization of Female Bodies -Influencers, Social Media, and the Negative Impact of Beauty Standards
The beauty and sex industries in Western society continue to promote the hyper-sexualization and aestheticization of female bodies (Coy-Dibley, 2016). The rise of "influencer commerce" has brought significant changes to how online content is created and consumed (Drenten et al., 2019, p. 42). However, social media algorithms often prioritize high-value users, leading to limited visibility for others (Carah & Dobson, 2016, p. 3). In pursuit of a large following and monetization, particularly women influencers conform to societal standards of unattainable and specific feminine aesthetics (Coy-Dibley, 2016).
On social media, the representation of women is closely tied to their bodies, influenced by societal norms and categories (Drenten et al., 2019, p. 51). The beauty and sex industries have commodified certain femininities and aesthetics, leading women to employ strategies like fashion choices and beauty practices to present themselves in highly sexualized ways (Drenten et al., 2019, p. 51). Influencers often emphasize specific body parts, wear revealing clothing, and engage in gestures that hint at undressing, contributing to a recognizable "porn chic" aesthetic (Drenten et al., 2019, p. 51). For example, Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner. As Figure 1 shows, to conform to societal standards of attractiveness and femininity, they strategically choose outfits that accentuate certain body parts, such as wearing form-fitting clothing, bikini to emphasize curves or revealing clothing to highlight their physical attributes.
Figure 1. Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner's Instagram post.
The pursuit of beauty standards negatively impacts female bodies, leading to cosmetic-seeking behavior and body dissatisfaction. Social comparison theory explains how women compare themselves to idealized bodies, resulting in insecurity and body-image issues (Coy-Dibley, 2016). This can contribute to the development of Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD), where individuals become excessively concerned about perceived flaws in their appearance (Nicewicz & Boutrouille, 2022). Industries and media perpetuate the belief that women's bodies are never good enough, fueling the desire for constant improvement (Dorfman et al., 2017). Social media platforms like Instagram amplify these pressures, normalizing cosmetic interventions and creating unrealistic expectations (Rodner et al., 2021). For example, the plastic surgery craze dubbed the "Dash Effect" saw a surge in inquiries for lip fillers after Kylie Jenner admitted to having the procedure (Olya , 2015) As Figure 2 shows, many young women get lip filler injections to get Kylie lips. The Kardashian unrealistic beauty standard contributes to an increase in cosmetic-seeking behavior as inspirations, with a significant percentage of patients seeking aesthetic surgery to enhance their appearance.
Figure 2. Young women get lip filler injections to get #Kylielips.
In light of these findings, it is critical to challenge the beauty and sex industries' influence on female bodies. For example, The Dove Self-esteem project is challenging the beauty standard. By promoting diverse representations, body positivity, and healthy perceptions of beauty, digital citizen can work toward a society that values and embraces each individual's uniqueness and inherent worth, free of the negative effects of unrealistic beauty standards.
Carah, N., & Dobson, A. (2016). Algorithmic hotness: Young women’s “promotion” and “reconnaissance” work via social media body images. Social Media + Society, 2(4), 1–10. https://doi.org/10.1177/2056305116672885
Coy-Dibley, I. (2016). “Digitized Dysmorphia” of the female body: the re/disfigurement of the image. Palgrave Communications, 2(1). https://doi.org/10.1057/palcomms.2016.40
Dorfman, R. G., Vaca, E. E., Mahmood, E., Fine, N. A., & Schierle, C. F. (2017). Plastic Surgery-Related Hashtag Utilization on Instagram: Implications for Education and Marketing. Aesthetic Surgery Journal, 38(3), 332–338. https://doi.org/10.1093/asj/sjx120
Drenten, J., Gurrieri, L., & Tyler, M. (2019). Sexualized labour in digital culture: Instagram influencers, porn chic and the monetization of attention. Gender, Work & Organization, 27(1). https://doi.org/10.1111/gwao.12354
Duffy, B. E., & Meisner, C. (2022). Platform governance at the margins: Social media creators’ experiences with algorithmic (in)visibility. Media, Culture & Society, 45(2), 016344372211119. https://doi.org/10.1177/01634437221111923
Nicewicz, H. R., & Boutrouille, J. F. (2022, September 28). Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD, Dysmorphobia, Dysmorphic Syndrome). PubMed; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK555901/
Olya , G. (2015, November 24). The “Dash Effect”: Kardashian-Inspired Plastic Surgery Procedures on the Rise, Say Experts. PEOPLE.com. https://people.com/health/the-dash-effect-kardashian-inspired-plastic-surgery-procedures-on-the-rise-say-experts/
Rodner, V., Goode, A., & Burns, Z. (2021). “Is it all just lip service?”: on Instagram and the normalisation of the cosmetic servicescape. Journal of Services Marketing, ahead-of-print(ahead-of-print). https://doi.org/10.1108/jsm-12-2020-0506
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