Shrunken and Recolored: Young Black American Women's Double Consciousness Body Image,Online Victimization,and Photo Editing

Abstract

In digital spaces, Black women's natural physical characteristics are marginalized by racially biased photo-editing technologies. This has implications for Black women who are vulnerable to appearance concerns at the intersections of dual pressures to adhere to white and culturally specific body and appearance ideals (i.e., double consciousness body image). In this cross-sectional online survey-based study, we applied aspects of the tripartite influence model to examine whether double consciousness body image internalization was associated with body image- and facial image-based photo editing among 354 young Black women. In doing so, we considered photo editing as a behavior reflective of social pressures to adhere to sociocultural appearance ideals promoted in digital spaces. Additionally, we explored the potential moderating role of online victimization in the associations between double consciousness body image internalization and photo editing. Double consciousness body image internalization was significantly positively associated with body image- and facial image-based photo editing. Online victimization moderated the associations between double consciousness body image internalization and both body image- and facial image-based photo editing, such that these relations were stronger at higher frequencies of online victimization. We discuss the implications of our findings for promoting young Black women's healthy body image and safety on social media platforms.