Does This Picture Make Me Look Fat? Examining the Body Positivity Movement on Instagram
Presentation Type
Research Study
Release Option
Event
Description
.
Abstract
While the origin of the body positivity campaign dealt with equal rights and acceptance of all skin tones and body shapes, research indicates that most Instagram posts that use the movement’s hashtags, such as #bodypositivity, feature young, white, non-disabled females. Due to the popularity of the movement on Instagram, it is important to understand the reflection of this movement on Instagram. The research questions that were explored and answered in the paper are the following: RQ1: How is the body positivity movement reflected on Instagram? and RQ2: What demographic if any is present in the forefront of the body positivity movement? A codebook was created to answer the research questions. A sample of media artifacts consisting of the top 20 posts from four hashtags commonly associated with the body positivity movement was collected and entered into the codebook. The codebook evaluated the current behaviors of those participating in the body positivity movement on Instagram in order to have a better understanding on the topic being studied. The results provided insight on how white women are at the forefront of the body positivity movement and how the movement was tailored to Instagram and the features the platform offers.
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Jeff Riley
Department of Primary Presenter's Major
Department of Communication Arts
Location
Room 1012
Symposium Year
2023
Does This Picture Make Me Look Fat? Examining the Body Positivity Movement on Instagram
Room 1012
While the origin of the body positivity campaign dealt with equal rights and acceptance of all skin tones and body shapes, research indicates that most Instagram posts that use the movement’s hashtags, such as #bodypositivity, feature young, white, non-disabled females. Due to the popularity of the movement on Instagram, it is important to understand the reflection of this movement on Instagram. The research questions that were explored and answered in the paper are the following: RQ1: How is the body positivity movement reflected on Instagram? and RQ2: What demographic if any is present in the forefront of the body positivity movement? A codebook was created to answer the research questions. A sample of media artifacts consisting of the top 20 posts from four hashtags commonly associated with the body positivity movement was collected and entered into the codebook. The codebook evaluated the current behaviors of those participating in the body positivity movement on Instagram in order to have a better understanding on the topic being studied. The results provided insight on how white women are at the forefront of the body positivity movement and how the movement was tailored to Instagram and the features the platform offers.
