When it comes to women’s body image, gender differences and social context combine to shape individual perceptions and experiences. Through a dialogue with a Chinese Gen Z couple, MBB and Jiachen, we were able to gain insights into their respective perspectives from different gender perspectives. This paper will focus on the following themes: the impact of social media, social evaluation and personal freedom, and the representation of gender differences in body image issues.
The interviewee’s profile 1.
Name: MBB
Gender: Female Work: Media
Age: 24 (born in 1999)
Nationality: Chinese
Professional Background: Sociology
Reason for interview: Gen Z women who have just graduated from university
The interviewee’s profile 2.
Name: Jiachen
Sex: Male Job: Auto industry self media
Age: 23 (born in 2000)
Nationality: China
Professional Background: Sociology
Reason for interview: Gen Z male who just graduated from university
- Social media: the role of a double-edged sword
MBB bluntly stated that social media has an impact on her shopping and body image. What looks good on a model may not look the same when she buys it, which makes her self-doubt. Jiachen, on the other hand, looks at the issue more from a male perspective, and believes that the bad vibes on social media inhibit the space for women to display confidence. Social media is a powerful influencer but also a massive body image distorter. Not only does it put pressure on women, it can also exacerbate gender inequality.
In my project ‘The Box’, while it is possible to spread a more positive body image through social media, there is a need to look at how social media may exacerbate the problem and provide solutions accordingly.
- Social Perceptions and Individual Freedom
MBB emphasises the importance of women as individuals, even in the face of social and elder judgement, and Jiachen argues that men’s judgement of women often reflects their own education and qualities, rather than the women themselves. The tension between societal perceptions and individual freedom is particularly evident here. There is a conflict between society’s expectations of women’s body image and individual women’s expectations of themselves.
I might consider creating modules on how to cope with social pressures and judgements in order to help women develop a more positive and independent body image.
- Gender differences: male support versus female assertiveness
MBB stated that she felt extremely supported when her boyfriend was very accepting of the flaws in her body. This point shows that inter-individual support and acceptance cannot be ignored as a positive influence on body image. It also pushes the boundaries of gender and shows that men can also play a positive role in building women’s self-image.” The Box project allows for male perspectives and participation in order to create a more holistic and inclusive discussion environment.
- MBB’s comments on ‘The Box’ project
MBB said that after seeing my account, she felt that she had found a platform that matched her soul and received a lot of support. She hopes that there will be more accounts like this on the internet, spreading ideas in a more objective and positive way. If she could have seen this kind of content as a teenager, she would have been very happy and inspired. Feedback like this suggests that “The Box” project has been somewhat successful in reaching its target audience and creating a positive social impact. The feedback also reminds me that beyond online content, I need to consider how to make these messages more widely available to the youth population, as they are the most vulnerable to social and online environments.
Through dialogue with MBB and Jiachen, we were able to gain insight into body image issues from a gender-specific perspective. Their perspectives and experiences provided invaluable insight into my project, especially in terms of how to make a difference through social media and education.
In the quest to break through societal expectations and gender labelling, each individual faces their own unique challenges and choices. Through my project, I hope to provide more people with an open and diverse platform for discussion so that everyone can find their own voice and freedom.