Empowered yet dissatisfied: Why can’t feminism reduce negative body image? A cross-cultural study

Abstract

Guided by the consumer culture impact model and the integrated sociocultural model of body image, this cross-cultural study employs online surveys (N = 444) to explain why feminist identification may emerge as a risk factor for women’s body image. Results indicate that feminist identification was positively related to internalizing the material good-life ideal in the Chinese context, which was associated with higher internalization of the body-perfect ideal. Internalizing the body-perfect ideal was related to lower facial satisfaction, and internalizing both ideals was associated with more selfie editing. Cross-culturally, the link between internalizing the body-perfect ideal and body dissatisfaction was stronger among U.S. than Chinese college women, whereas Chinese women edited more selfies than U.S. women. Findings extend theoretical understanding of how feminism influences body image and offer practical implications for health communication. Limitations and directions for future research are also discussed.