Are We There Yet? Progress in Depicting Diverse Images of Beauty in Instagram’s Body Positivity Movement
Abstract
As the literature on the narrowly defined standards of beauty portrayed in social media has increased, a newer focus on body positivity messages has also emerged. Body positivity challenges the unrealistic standards of beauty present in the media by the promotion and acceptance of diverse body sizes and appearances. In an effort to further understand the messages of body positivity in social media, this study examined the content of 246 body positive posts from the broad Instagram community. Results demonstrated an inclusion and appreciation of diverse physical appearances, as well as themes consistent with messages promoting body positivity. In contrast to content on popular body positivity accounts, several of the posts from the broader Instagram community did, however, contain contradictory messages, such as the promotion of weight loss or the praise of extreme thinness. Future research examining such contradictory messages in body positivity posts and their effects on body image and other related domains is warranted.
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The 'body-positive movement' aims to increase body acceptance by broadly defining beauty and depicting diverse body sizes and appearances on social media.
“The 'body-positive movement' aims to increase body acceptance by broadly defining beauty and depicting diverse body sizes and appearances on SM (e.g., Lazuka et al., 2020).”
From The Perfect Storm: A Developmental-Sociocultural Framework for the Role of Social Media in Adolescent Girls' Body Image Concerns and Mental Health. (2022) · cites this paper as Lazuka et al., 2020
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BackgroundFeminist embodiment, body talk, and body image among mothers and daughters
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Schettino, G., Capasso, M., & Caso, D. (2022) · Computers in Human Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.chb.2022.107586 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
Vendemia, M. A., & Robinson, M. (2022) · Body image · doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2022.07.005 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
‘Brand, community, lifestyle’: Fashioning an authentic, body positive influencer brand on Instagram
Brewster, M. L., & Sklar, M. (2022) · Fashion Style & Popular Culture · doi:10.1386/fspc_00158_1 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
Davies, B., Turner, M., & Udell, J. E. (2023) · Computers in Human Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.chb.2023.107999 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
Kilby, R., & Mickelson, K. D. (2025) · Frontiers in Psychiatry · doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2025.1577063 · Cited by 12 · see citing works
Body image and social media: The fault lines are clear - We need a seismic correction
Thompson, J. K., & Harriger, J. A. (2023) · Body Image · doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2023.02.009 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Self-citationSharp, G., Bilal, M., Fernando, A. N., & de Boer, K. (2023) · Body Image · doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2023.06.004 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
The beauty complex: social media trends, effects, and opportunities
Mwangi, Z. M., & Buvár, Á. (2024) · Cogent Social Sciences · doi:10.1080/23311886.2024.2427350 · Cited by 17 · see citing works
“…positive mood, body satisfaction, body appreciation, and positive attitudes towards individuals who post such content (Cohen et al., 2019; lazuka et al., 2020; Manning & Mulgrew, 2022; Michele et al., 2023; tiggemann et al., 2020). these results show that body-positive content is not…”
Influentialde Lenne, O., Vanhoffelen, G., & Vandenbosch, L. (2022) · Cyberpsychology Behavior and Social Networking · doi:10.1089/cyber.2022.0016 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
“10,11 Exposure to nonidealized content has been suggested to positively relate to appearance outcomes.”
Karizat, N., & Andalibi, N. (2023) · Proceedings of the ACM on Human-Computer Interaction · doi:10.1145/3579494 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
“Body positivity content “challenges the unrealistic standards of beauty present in both traditional and social media by the promotion and acceptance of diverse body sizes and appearances" [65].”
BackgroundLet’s talk about body neutrality: content analysis of #bodyneutrality on TikTok
Mancin, P., Vall‐Roqué, H., Grey, W., Griffiths, S., & Bonell, S. (2024) · Journal of Eating Disorders · doi:10.1186/s40337-024-01163-0 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Junqueira, A. C. P., Tylka, T. L., Almeida, S. S., Costa, T. M. B., & Laus, M. F. (2021) · Psychology of Women Quarterly · doi:10.1177/03616843211013459 · Cited by 10 · see citing works
Fixsen, A. M., Bailey, M., & Bardey, A. (2022) · Qualitative Health Research · doi:10.1177/10497323221141629 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
“Online platforms and images now provide a fertile fi eld for body objecti fi cation that easily spans ages, genders, and ethnicities (Cheney, 2011; Lazuka, et al., 2020).”
Social Media/Electronic Media and Aesthetic Medicine
Kopelman, H., Watchmaker, J. D., Kopelman, R., Callaghan, D. J., & Kim, D. (2021) · Advances in Cosmetic Surgery · doi:10.1016/j.yacs.2021.01.002 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
#mybestmidlife: Profiles of photo-based social media use and body image among midlife women
Rodgers, R. F., & Nowicki, G. P. (2023) · Body Image · doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2023.101646 · Cited by 13 · see citing works
Konings, F., Vranken, I., Cingel, D. P., Vandenbosch, L., & de Lenne, O. (2024) · Body Image · doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2024.101728 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
Fardouly, J., Levin, T., Vartanian, L. R., & Rapee, R. M. (2024) · Body Image · doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2024.101800 · Cited by 11 · see citing works
Kvardová, N., Maes, C., & Vandenbosch, L. (2024) · Computers in Human Behavior · doi:10.1016/j.chb.2024.108471 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
Bedrosova, M., Kvardova, N., & Machackova, H. (2023) · Journal of Interpersonal Violence · doi:10.1177/08862605221140037 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
“Analysis of body-positive Instagram posts (Lazuka et al., 2020) showed that only less than half depicted people who are plus-size.”
BackgroundFrom Body Positivity and Beyond: Investigating Affective Aesthetic Atmospheres of Influencers
Anderson, K. C., Wallach, K. A., Albinsson, P. A., & Tracy, R. (2025) · Journal of Consumer Behaviour · doi:10.1002/cb.2474 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
Rodgers, R. F., Laveway, K., Lilley, M., Mifsud, M., & Doley, J. R. (2025) · Body Image · doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2025.102022 · Cited by 7 · see citing works
The determinants and consequences of positive body image and its promotion strategies
Chao, Y., Zhijie, D., Haoyan, W., Yizhou, Z., Yanli, W., & Fangzhou, Y. (2023) · Advances in Psychological Science · doi:10.3724/sp.j.1042.2023.00815 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
“00 07 1v 1 3.3.2 大众媒体 大众媒体是理想体像等社会文化标准及社会期望传播的重要媒介(Levine & Murnen, 2009)。已有研究主要聚焦于大众媒体对身体意象的负面影响(Ren et al., 2018)，即个体暴露 在媒体宣扬的“非现实的理想体型”时，会更频繁地进行上行社会比较，导致消极身体意 象的产生。近年来，研究者们意识到理想体像的危害性，认为大众媒体应该展示“身体正 面”的内容(即不同的体型)，促进大众对“美”的广义定义并接受外貌的多样性(Cohen et al., 2019; Rodgers et al., 2020)，进而使人们直面现实体型(Lazuka…”
InfluentialVendemia, M. A., Brathwaite, K. N., & DeAndrea, D. C. (2022) · New Media & Society · doi:10.1177/14614448221143345 · Cited by 8 · see citing works
“…we used Instagram as the host social media platform due to the prevalence of body-pos-itive content (Cohen et al., 2019b; Cwynar-Horta, 2016; Lazuka et al., 2020), future studies should consider specific platform norms and affordances that may influence the efficacy of body-positive content…”
InfluentialJung, G., Liang, Y., & Lee, H. S. (2024) · Women s Studies International Forum · doi:10.1016/j.wsif.2024.102973 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Tong, Y., Xi, C., Cui, J., Na, Z., & Xiling, W. (2024) · SAGE Open · doi:10.1177/21582440241287282 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
“…body types on Chinese social media, existing research indicates that such movements on social networks (SNs) maintain an appearance focus and may encourage self-objectification, leading to negative consequences including body shame and disordered eating (Cohen et al., 2020; Lazuka et al., 2020).”
Public health in the making: Dietary innovators and their on-the-job sociology
Cupit, C. (2022) · Social Science & Medicine · doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2022.115001 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Cunha, I. M., Lamm, E., Nett, S., & Rodgers, R. F. (2024) · Body Image · doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2024.101796 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Understanding Fitness Trends in the Virtual Age: A Content Analysis of TikTok Workout Videos
Nuhn, W. N., Wick, M. R., Brown, M. P., Green, T. J., & Harriger, J. A. (2024) · Health Communication · doi:10.1080/10410236.2024.2411098 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
“…movement (#bopo) on social media includes content depicting a diverse array of body types, encouragement for viewers to love themselves despite any perceived flaws, and posts encouraging inner positivity and care for one’s body (Cohen et al., 2019; Hallward et al., 2023; Lazuka et al., 2020).”
InfluentialSelf-citationMoghadam, F. S., Moghadam, H. E., & Jahangir, P. (2021) · Journal of Client-centered Nursing Care · doi:10.32598/jccnc.7.1.351.1 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Streeter, R. (2021) · Fat Studies · doi:10.1080/21604851.2021.2006958 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
“…media, including blogs, Reddit, and Instagram, show that the body positive movement supports broad conceptualizations of beauty, encourages inner positivity, and urges body acceptance and self-love (Cohen et al. 2019; Darwin and Miller 2020; Lazuka et al. 2020; Rodgers, Meyer, and McCaig 2020).”
BackgroundMethodResultInfluentialThe Perception of Young Women towards Beauty Value in Beauty Advertisements
Amalia, F. A., Andani, A. R., & Guterres, A. D. (2023) · Journal of Marketing Innovation (JMI) · doi:10.35313/jmi.v3i1.63 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
“positivity has been described as gaining popularity in western countries over the last decade as social media platforms allow users to post photos of bodies that do not conform to beauty standards (Lazuka et al., 2020).”
BackgroundMethodBecker, K., Alleva, J. M., Fleuren, B. P. I., & Verduyn, P. (2025) · Body Image · doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2025.101906 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Fauvel, L., Sohier, R., Pantin‐Sohier, G., & Durif, F. (2025) · Journal of Consumer Behaviour · doi:10.1002/cb.70047 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Challenges of #bodypositivity: Social media and hashtag activism
Khonach, T., & Kurz, A. (2024) · Fat Studies · doi:10.1080/21604851.2024.2328405 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
“However, critiques assert that body acceptance movements, such as body positivity, over emphasize individual looks, aesthetic, and beauty (Cooper 2016; Cwynar-Horta 2016; Lazuka et al. 2020).”
BackgroundLonghurst, P., Woodworth, E. C., Cunha, I. C. K. O., & Rodgers, R. F. (2024) · Body Image · doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2024.101801 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
ИДЕАЛЫ ТЕЛЕСНОЙ КРАСОТЫ И ВРЕМЕНАЯ ДИНАМИКА СОМАТИЧЕСКИХ ПОКАЗАТЕЛЕЙ СОВРЕМЕННОЙ МОЛОДЕЖИ
Khafizova, A. A. (2021) · Вестник антропологии (Herald of Anthropology) · doi:10.33876/2311-0546/2021-3/161-182 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
The Role of Digital Media in Adolescents’ Body Image and Disordered Eating
Roberts, S. R., Maheux, A. J., Ladd, B. A., & Choukas‐Bradley, S. (2022) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/9781108976237.014 · Cited by 9 · see citing works
Conveying strength in emerging adulthood and during a pandemic
Wade, J., Alexander, R., Gibbs, J., Giscombé, C. L. W., Jackson, K., McElroy, A., & Ferguson, J. (2023) · Women s Studies International Forum · doi:10.1016/j.wsif.2023.102794 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
Sullivan, E. J., Trammell, J. P., & Harriger, J. A. (2024) · Body Image · doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2024.101686 · Cited by 6 · see citing works
Self-citationAnti-Fat Biases of Occupational and Physical Therapy Assistants
Friedman, C., Feldner, H. A., & VanPuymbrouck, L. H. (2021) · Occupational Therapy In Health Care · doi:10.1080/07380577.2021.1972380 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
How Activated Self-Concepts Influence Selection and Processing of Body-Positive Narratives
Robinson, M. J., & Vendemia, M. A. (2023) · Media Psychology · doi:10.1080/15213269.2023.2206140 · Cited by 5 · see citing works
“Recent content analyses of body-positive Instagram posts have demonstrated these themes, including appreciation of diverse body sizes, expression of body confidence through acts of kindness, and messages challenging the thin ideal (Cohen, Irwin, et al., 2019; Lazuka et al., 2020).”
Background
- Authors
- Lazuka, R. F., Wick, M. R., Keel, P. K., & Harriger, J. A.
- Affiliations
- Pepperdine University (US)
- Florida State University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Harriger, Jennifer A.
- Venue
- Body Image
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2020-09
- Volume
- 34
- Pages
- 85-93
- ISSN
- 1740-1445 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W3035281263
- Semantic Scholar
- da59123c4e7a4a6f743db937bcabe36654050cfe
- Cited by
- 189
- References
- 48
- Citations by year
- 2026: 19 · 2025: 36 · 2024: 36 · 2023: 46 · 2022: 32 · 2021: 20
- FWCI
- 9.73
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Body Image (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Eating Disorders and Behaviors
- Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Gender, Feminism, and Media
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Body Image and Dysmorphia Studies
- Keywords
- body positivity, Instagram, social media, body size diversity, thin ideal
- MeSH terms
- Physical Appearance, Body, Attitude, Beauty, Body Image, Clothing, Ethnicity, Female, Humans, Thinness, Social Media
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