Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 Professor, Department of Social Sciences, Faculty of Law and Social Sciences, University of Tabriz, City of Tabriz, Country of Iran
2 Student of Social Sciences/University of Tabriz, Tabriz/Iran
3 Master's student, Faculty of Law and Social Sciences, University of Tabriz, city name Tabriz, country name Iran
Abstract
Detailed abstract
Introduction
Body image is a complex concept that includes how individuals perceive, feel, and evaluate their physical appearance. This perception is influenced by a range of psychological, cultural, and social factors. In today’s world, where media, consumer culture, and Western beauty standards are dominant, the body is not just a biological entity but a central aspect of personal and social identity. It becomes a site through which people express their values and gain social recognition. Within this context, women—and especially young, single women—experience intensified pressure to conform to idealized standards of beauty. They often find themselves balancing between personal acceptance and societal expectations that define attractiveness in narrow and often unrealistic terms. These gendered norms create psychological tension and can deeply affect their self-worth and emotional well-being. This study seeks to explore how single women understand, evaluate, and emotionally relate to their bodies. It aims to uncover the meanings they assign to their physical appearance and the social experiences that shape their body image. By focusing on the lived experiences of these women, the research provides insights into the social construction of body image and the everyday challenges women face in negotiating their sense of bodily self.
Methodology
Adopting a qualitative research approach, this study utilized semi-structured interviews to delve into the innermost layers of women's experiences concerning their bodies. The participants comprised 20 single women from Tabriz, aged between 18 and 35, selected purposively based on demographic criteria such as age, education, employment status, and lived experiences of body dissatisfaction or acceptance. Tabriz was chosen as the research setting due to its unique position as a nexus of tradition and modernity, providing a rich context for analyzing the cultural, media, and ethnic influences on body image.
Data analysis was conducted using thematic analysis, aiming to extract patterns and semantic themes from participants' narratives and experiences. The initial coding involved identifying core concepts, followed by comparative analysis to derive sub-themes and main themes from the data. The findings revealed a persistent tension and conflict in women's experiences with their bodies, rooted in their encounters with cultural, media, familial pressures, and prevailing beauty discourses.
Findings
A prominent theme emerging from participants' narratives was the experience of beauty pressures exerted by media and society. Young women, especially those who are single, found themselves bombarded with images of idealized bodies, unrealistic beauty standards, and norms propagated through social media, advertisements, television programs, and even daily interactions. These involuntary and continuous comparisons often led to feelings of inadequacy, dissatisfaction with physical appearance, and diminished self-confidence. Some participants, particularly those who had experienced rejection in romantic relationships, familial judgment, or social invisibility, reported intensified dissatisfaction, sometimes resorting to cosmetic surgeries, strict dieting, or altering their dressing styles to conform to beauty norms.
Contrasting this trend, another theme highlighted the redefinition of the body as a domain for agency and meaning reconstruction. Some women, especially those on a path of recovery from negative experiences, endeavored to focus on health, bodily functionality, acceptance of bodily differences, and reliance on intrinsic values, distancing themselves from the cycle of comparison and dissatisfaction. These body agents perceived the body as an integral part of personal identity, rather than a tool for attracting male attention or securing social approval. At this level, the body transformed from an object of external judgment to a space for introspection and personal control.
Another significant theme was the role of singleness in amplifying bodily sensitivity and social anxiety. Participants acknowledged that being single exposed them more acutely to others' judgments. In a society where marriage remains a fundamental norm for women, single women often evaluated their bodies not only from an aesthetic perspective but also as instruments for attracting attention and potential entry into relationships. This perspective led to persistent anxiety about their bodies, efforts to align with expectations, and, in some cases, feelings of shame and self-blame.
Additionally, the reflection of body image in social identity and self-concept was noteworthy. Many participants indicated that body image is an inseparable part of their social identity, playing a crucial role in shaping self-confidence, social participation, and even defining their position in daily interactions. In this sense, the body is not merely a biological element but a symbolic and identity-bearing entity through which individuals connect with the surrounding world. These findings can be interpreted through Bourdieu's theory of the body as cultural capital and feminist perspectives on the body as a field of power.
Discussion and Conclusion
From a theoretical standpoint, this study can be analyzed within the frameworks of sociological perspectives on the body, critical feminism, and contemporary reflexivity theories. According to Bourdieu's theory, the body serves as symbolic capital, reproduced through socialization processes and within fields of power. In this view, young women internalize beauty standards, adjusting their bodies to align with social expectations, often at the expense of suppressing personal desires and compromising mental health. Foucault's concept of "body surveillance and discipline" further elucidates how beauty and media discourses become tools for controlling women's bodies. These concepts are evident in participants' narratives, particularly in their experiences of constant observation, judgment, and anxiety stemming from body display.
The study also reveals that women's encounters with body image are not solely psychological but are deeply rooted in social, cultural, and gendered structures. For instance, familial pressures to maintain beauty, concerns about delayed marriage, and the emphasis on appearance as a form of feminine capital underscore the intertwining of the body with patriarchal discourses prevalent in society. Nevertheless, instances of resistance, value reassessment, and movement towards body acceptance based on intrinsic criteria were evident in women's narratives, indicating the potential for individual agency against dominant social forces.
In summary, body image among single women in Tabriz is a multifaceted phenomenon, intricately linked with social, cultural, economic, and psychological contexts. The body simultaneously serves as a site for reproducing social pressures and a field for resistance and meaning reconstruction. For women, particularly those who are single, the body becomes a measure of worth, social acceptance, and even cultural legitimacy, significantly impacting their mental health, self-concept, and identity. This study underscores the need to reconsider media, educational, and cultural policies regarding women's body representation, advocating for realistic portrayals, acceptance of bodily diversity, and empowering women to define their bodies independently.
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