Documenting Femininity: Body-Positivity and Female Empowerment on Instagram

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dc.contributor.advisorMacLennan, Anne
dc.creatorCwynar-Horta, Jessica Cristina
dc.date.accessioned2016-11-25T14:19:00Z
dc.date.available2016-11-25T14:19:00Z
dc.date.copyright2016-08-19
dc.date.issued2016-11-25
dc.date.updated2016-11-25T14:19:00Z
dc.degree.disciplineCommunication & Culture, Joint Program with Ryerson University
dc.degree.levelMaster's
dc.degree.nameMA - Master of Arts
dc.description.abstractDrawing on participatory research, this study examines the body positive community on Instagram in order to understand how social media platforms enable women to self-present outside of traditional gender norms and challenge dominant ideals of feminine beauty, including the demands to produce smooth skin, to adhere to body size norms, and contain bodily fluids. Although women are experiencing embodiment and agency online, analysis revealed that body positive members are simultaneously repeating dominant codes and reinforcing views of non-normative bodies. This was noticeable when analyzing the responses of the female viewers interviewed for the study who reported visceral feelings of disgust towards the non-normative bodies on display.
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10315/32785
dc.language.isoen
dc.rightsAuthor owns copyright, except where explicitly noted. Please contact the author directly with licensing requests.
dc.subjectWeb studies
dc.subject.keywordsSocial media
dc.subject.keywordsInstagram
dc.subject.keywordsBody-Positivity
dc.subject.keywordsEmbodiment
dc.subject.keywordsFemininity
dc.subject.keywordsEmpowerment
dc.subject.keywordsFat studies
dc.subject.keywordsFat activism
dc.subject.keywordsSocial movements
dc.subject.keywordsAffected publics
dc.subject.keywordsAffect theory
dc.subject.keywordsSelf-objectification
dc.subject.keywordsObjectification
dc.subject.keywordsMass media
dc.subject.keywordsAdvertising
dc.subject.keywordsDigital technologies
dc.subject.keywordsBody image
dc.subject.keywordsIdeal beauty
dc.subject.keywordsWestern culture
dc.subject.keywordsCapitalism
dc.subject.keywordsNeoliberalism
dc.titleDocumenting Femininity: Body-Positivity and Female Empowerment on Instagram
dc.typeElectronic Thesis or Dissertation

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