Lecture 8-Learning bodies: body image, (fast) fashion, and social norms

fast fashion

• the pressure to consume, online trends and influencers

bodies

• whose bodies are acceptable, and who’s are not

body positivity and acceptance vs. fat phobia and weight gain

• told to accept yourself and who you are

• there is a craze over ozemspic 

trends cultures, social media influencers and celebrity fandom “selfie culture” 

• online lives have evolved and we can root it in our relationship with TikTok and not those around us

• we follow these celebrities and what they say to define out bodies

fitness & diet industry, “fat camp'“ “the biggest loser”

• focus on fitness and shape

• our prof was a fitness instructors and said that it was a toxic place where they promote community, but also not eating a lot and working out

• ex. the biggest loser puts people against each other to see who can loose the most weight

• Roxanne gay article about going to fat camp

critical fat/obesity studies-improtant theoretical lens to consider

• social construction of bodies “fatness”

• Bach body isn’t just about being toned but also about not having cellulite

• huge shift in the pandemic to online shop and it shifted our idea to shop all the time

• ex. shein they have a certain shape that can wear their clothing

key takeaways from Roxanne Gay article: bodily perceptions as inescapable

• it is all around us, makes perfect sense why we obsess over our bodies bc it can feel like everything circulates around our bodies

• can feel exhausting and overwhelming

• we can do work to escape these bodily preoccupations

(Furfaro, 2023) fast fashion and the environment

• increased production of clothing in the past 20 years

• fast fashion has taken off

• replacing our own clothing very fast

• easy accessibility to fast fashion

• inaccessibility to sustainable fashion

  • groups are trying to make more sustainable fashion, however it is more expensive

• environmental factors:

  • microplastics

  • items in landfill;s

  • fashion produces significant CO2 emissions

how can competing pressure to be instil and consume fashion alongside concerns about climate change and fashions environmental impacts?

• consumer culture is influenced by capitalism, we aren’t forced to consume, we have individual agency that we choose to consume

• access to more products

• people cannot afford expensive so they shop fast fashion to get in style clothing

• come cannot think of the climate because they do not have money to support eco friendly companies

body image and social media Dove 2023 commercial

• focused on self-esteem

• a girl got a phone when she was young and began to compare herself to the images

• developed an eating disorder

• social media is harming 1 in 2 children in their body image

(Derenne, & Beresin, 2018) Body image, media, and eating disorders—a 10-year update

• article discusses the shifts in traditional tv to smartphone and the internet since 2006

• youth on social media creates digital stress and connection

• platforms like snapchat and instagram intensify self-consciousness about appearance

• high link to depression anxiety and negative body images leading to ED

• users measure self-worth through likes, followers and comments

• adults play a key role in teaching healthy media use and promoting body positivity to support balanced lifestyle habits

(Gay, 2014) Reaching for Catharsis: Getting Fat Right (or Wrong) and Diana Spechler’s Skinny.

• girl attended “fat camp” people noticed changes in her body and she was sent here

• girls were made to weigh in and check their bodies, if you did well you were congratulated, if you did not you were lectured on how you looked

• people constantly obsess over their bodies and how they look

• Gray develops an eating disorder form this camp and the affects it left on her mentally

• goes over the effects that our body image has on use and how it affects our mental health and body

(Furaro, 2023) Fast Fashion Is Everywhere on Social Media. How Can Teens Resist?

• the increase of fast fashion during the pandemic

• fast fashion is the 3 largest planet polluter

• people get rid of clothes because they have beens seen in them before on social media

• cheaper store are geared towards teens and youth

• eco friendly fashion is more expensive

• if shoppers stop shopping fast fashion then huge strides would be made