Research Paper on Cultural Influences on Body Image for African-Americans

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accepts all body types as attractive it makes women’s self esteem rates go up and body dissatisfaction rates go down. Therefore, since African-American men find curvier, thicker body types more attractive African-American women have good self esteem.

However, African-Americans have higher rates of body dissatisfaction and lower rates of self-esteem when living in predominantly white society surrounded by the mainstream body image ideal. Due to the rising popularity of thinness in mainstream American, African-American women are becoming less secure in their bodies because they don’t fit within that image. In a study done by Wingood (2002), when African-American women don’t have a strong ethnic identity they have lower self esteem and higher body dissatisfaction. Women get a strong ethnic identity from being raised within their culture. Studies prove that with strong ethnic identity African-Americans are “protected” from mainstream ideals (Patton Owens, 2006). When African-Americans are surrounded by a culture obsessed with thinness they’re bound to buy into the messages. They’re surrounded by media bombarding their culture with messages that they aren’t good enough unless they fit the white standard of beauty. Due to this, studies show that there has been a rise in eating disorders in African-American women (Dermarest & Allen, 1999). When African-Americans grow up internalizing mainstream America’s ideals they’re more likely to develop body image issues as well as eating disorders.

Society influences everything about a person’s life ranging from what they wear to who they are as a person. Studies show that African-American men and women with a strong ethnic identity tend to be less insecure than those living in predominately white areas. The African-American culture appreciates “thicker” or curvier women which creates healthier body images. When African-Americans live in mainly white areas they have higher rates of body dissatisfaction and lower rates of self esteem. Overall as a culture African-Americans have high self esteem, good body image and good rates of ethnic identity.