Ouch, That Hurts: Cultural Aspects of Body Shame

Understanding body shame’s roots in cultural values and racism.

Reviewed by Devon Frye

Key points

• Negative and inferior associations with excess weight often stem from racial stereotypes.
• The occurrence of body shame has been studied predominantly within Western and White populations.
• Women of non-white ethnicities are increasingly concerned with their bodies not meeting Western standards.
• Exploring and educating clients on diverse body types may facilitate appreciation for their appearance.

Written By Erica Marshall-Lee, Ph.D., ABPP, Sheethal D. Reddy, Ph.D., and Desiree Frain, Psy.D., on behalf of the Atlanta Behavioral Health Advocates

As an African-descended woman, I (EML) have heard it all regarding my weight, most of these appraisals from family and those in my community. I realize that I am not alone in experiencing the negative cultural evaluations and assessments associated with weight and body size.

In my culture, it is not uncommon to hear terms like “fat Albert,” “big boned,” “fatty,” “healthy,” “large,” “big back,” and “thick.” At family gatherings and holidays, I was simultaneously told, “Wow, you really are getting heavy,” and in the same breath, “What’s the matter, you don’t like the food? You better eat, girl!”

An examination of weight preferences, and specifically fatphobia, reveals roots in religion, racism, and the trans-Atlantic slave trade. During that time, there existed a widely held belief that black people were highly sexual and gluttonous, with poor impulse control leading to sexual and immoral overindulgence.

Protestantism of the time promoted self-restraint in all forms of gratification, including appetite. Hence, possessing a thin body indicated restraint and racial superiority (Strings, 2019). Outliers were objectified.

An example of this is the South African woman Sarah Baartman, who was caged and abused by a European physician for her body size and shape, characterized by a disproportionately larger lower body known as steatopygia. She was forced into traveling “freak shows” under the stage name “Hottentot Venus” and often paired with a rhinoceros. Her abuse continued after her death at age 26 when her genitals and brain were displayed in the Musee de l’Homme until 1976 (Orrego-Hoyos et al., 2024).

By the early 1800s, fatness was a sign of racial inferiority and immorality in the U.S. Today, the stereotypes for African-descended individuals still include descriptors like lazy, undisciplined, and overweight (Strings, 2019).

What the Data Say

Unfortunately, the occurrence of body shame has been studied predominantly within Western and White populations. This is reflective of the WEIRD (Western, Educated, Industrialized, Rich, and Democratic) issue within the scientific community and has resulted in a faulty notion that it is primarily White women who experience body image issues. Thankfully, our field has begun to recognize that issues of body shame and body image are not exclusive to these communities.

In fact, a review of the literature by Bakhshi (2011) demonstrates that women of multiple non-White ethnicities do experience negative body image. A concerning finding was that the negative body image of non-White women in Western countries appears to be worsening, meaning that women who are subjected to Western beauty ideals are becoming increasingly concerned with their bodies not meeting these standards.

In addition, the literature suggested no differences between White and non-White women regarding eating disorder symptoms or behaviors. While the findings highlight differences that exist in body ideals across cultures, they also emphasize the negative impact of Western and White standards of beauty on ethnic minority populations.

Cultural factors play an undeniable role: Providers may be biased and “miss” ethnic minorities who engage in disordered eating or are at risk for eating disorders due to preconceived notions about these populations. The presentation of eating disorders varies among cultural populations due to the differences in body ideals across groups.

However, acculturation may also create a breeding ground for body image issues or disordered eating when an individual becomes exposed to strict standards of beauty in White and Western societies. These and more are suggested in the literature as possible cultural influences leading to the rising rates of eating disorders in diverse populations (Acle et al., 2021).

What Can Psychologists Do?

Body ideals often are embedded implicitly within the dominant culture. It may take time to explore with the client the racist roots of certain body aesthetics. In this work, the first step may be to better understand the cognitive attributions associated with certain body aesthetics for that client.

For example, helping the client explore why they prefer slim hips and thighs. “Is it for reasons of mobility or comfort? Is it to avoid attracting attention from others or feeling objectified? What does it mean to have wide hips?” A non-judgmental attitude is helpful in providing space for clients to explore their own thoughts and feelings about their bodies, which are not always kind or politically correct.

After this first exploration of personal body ideals, it may be helpful to provide a different perspective by learning about body ideals from other areas of the globe that may contrast with those of American society. This exploration could be collaborative, with both therapist and client collecting images of other body ideals.

Following this data gathering, it can help to provide historical information about racism in the United States and the overlap of that racism with the denigration of Asian, African, and Indigenous bodies and appearance. Finally, it can be a powerful experience to bring the historical into the present by showing the client how current beauty trends and marketing continue to perpetrate the denigration of certain facial features and body types.

Lastly, the intersectionality that forms body image and ideals cannot be ignored. Racial and ethnic identification, socioeconomic status, and geographic location are some of the other demographic characteristics that may influence a person’s self-image and preferences. The ADDRESSING model, posited by Lowy et al. (2021), may serve as a useful framework for a holistic understanding of a person’s body image. The ADDRESSING model includes factors mentioned above and others that we now understand to contribute to a person’s sense of self.

After all this, it is important to understand that the body preferences of the client may remain the same. That is, they may still adhere to a slim body preference or Anglo features despite realizing that some of these preferences were shaped by racism and oppression. The goal, rather, is to help lessen the shame, guilt, or disgust clients may feel towards their own bodies for not fitting a predetermined mold. By helping the client to expand their understanding of the diversity of body types, the therapist may help create space for greater compassion and appreciation within the client for their own appearance.