1 / 21

Body Image in GBLTQ Population

Body Image in GBLTQ Population. brought to you by the WOU Safe Zone Committee. Introductions. Name Program of study or academic interests Where are you from? Why are you here (what do you want to get from this session)?. Who Makes up WOU Safe Zone?.

joan-barr
Download Presentation

Body Image in GBLTQ Population

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Body Image in GBLTQ Population brought to you by the WOU Safe Zone Committee

  2. Introductions • Name • Program of study or academic interests • Where are you from? • Why are you here (what do you want to get from this session)?

  3. Who Makes up WOU Safe Zone? • Students, staff, and faculty make up the WOU Safe Zone • The WOU Safe Zone Committee works with the GLBTQ campus group, Triangle Alliance • Safe Zone trainers can come into classes, clubs, and residence halls to facilitate educational programming on GLBTQ topics

  4. GLBTQ—XYZ… What??? • Gay • Lesbian • Bisexual • Trans (Transgender, Genderqueer…) • Queer • And a few others: • Questioning • Intersex • Ally

  5. Body Image: The Basics What is “Body Image”? • “A person's perception of his or her own physical appearance, or the interpretation of the body by the brain.” • “ The subjective concept of one's physical appearance based on self-observation and the reactions of others”

  6. Body Image: Influences • Different factors that can influence body image are: • Personality • Peers/Family • Media • Gender • Age • Culture • Etc.

  7. Body Image:Things to Consider • Almost all literature/research focuses on Heterosexual Males • The community can be quite divided – (how would a feminist rejecting constructed femininity view a MTF Trans person who embraces a highly feminized gender presentation as part of herself?) "A lot of gay men feel pressure to have a perfect body. After all, we are surrounded by six packs on magazine covers, beefcakes at the gym and those body beautifuls with their shirts off at the club." "As are all women, lesbians are influenced by Western society's expectations of what a woman should look like. However, they are also influenced by the lesbian subculture... The dominant culture's beauty expectations coupled with the adoption of a lesbian identity causes a multitude of oppressive mandates from both sociocultural contexts."

  8. ♂ ♀ Body Image & Sexuality Scale Hetero Males → Bi Males → Gay Males → Lesbians → Bi Females → Hetero Females →

  9. Body Image & the Lesbian Community • Some lesbians report improved body image after “coming out”, noting a sense of freedom from a heterosexual “beauty mandate”; • However, many continue to struggle with the internalization of Western society’s pervasive “thin ideal”, • This can result in the development of body hatred and eating disorders.

  10. Body Image & the Lesbian Community “Ironically, the lesbian-feminist standard of self-acceptance for women has created a taboo around worrying about weight and body image, going so far as to identify negative body image and obsessions as a “straight women’s thing.” Women with body image difficulties and food obsessions are therefore doubly isolated within the lesbian community. And isolation perpetuates the problem.” – Naomi Tucker Contradictions of the Spirit: Theories and Realities of Lesbian Body Image

  11. Body Image & the Lesbian Community • Lesbian communities still have “norms” of appearance (ie: physical strength requisites and dress codes), which serve two purposes: • to allow lesbians to identify one another • to provide group identity distinct from women in the dominant culture

  12. History of Appearance Norms: • 1950’s: Butch/femme style emerges – those not fitting either category were labeled as “kiki” and were unwelcome in gathering places • Middle and upper class lesbians in 50s were more likely to pass as heterosexual • 1970’s: Androgynous look becomes popular during feminist movement • Butch/femme is rejected as “heterosexual styles” • 1980’s/90’s: Renaissance of butch/femme and more diversity in expression • Many “butch” and “femme” lesbians report feelings of being “left out” or “singled out” of the lesbian community

  13. Body Image & theLesbian Community • Factors influencing lesbian appearance norms and rates of conformity: • degree of involvement with lesbian community • number of years woman has been “out” - pressure to be “recognizably lesbian” when first coming out • age • area of geographic residence

  14. Body Image & Gay Males • For many gay men ♂, the coming out process can negatively impact body image • The gay community is highly focused on appearance norms (defined muscles, certain hairstyles, clothing style, body art) • More men are dieting, excessively exercising, purging (vomiting/laxatives), squeezing into uncomfortable clothes

  15. Body Image & the Trans Community • Often a discrepancy between seeing self and feeling self • Changing gender identity vs. gender presentation • Concerns about “passing” as a particular gender • Dealing with physical/psychological side effects/changes with hormone therapy

  16. Body Image & Gender • Gender may be a stronger predictor of body dissatisfaction than sexual orientation, but both play a key role in the development of body image • INSERT MORE INFO HERE • ***** • INSERT MORE INFO HERE • **** • **** • ****

  17. How to Help Your Body Image • Exercise – either alone or with a friend • Focus on pats of your body that you like • Have someone you can talk with • Remember that when people criticize you there is a good chance they are insecure themselves and are taking it out on you.

  18. Who To Contact For Help • WOU Health/ Counseling Center: 503.838.8313 • Polk County Health Dept: 503-623-9289 • Marion County Health Dept: 503-588-5357

  19. WOU Safe Zone Mission The Western Oregon University Safe Zone program seeks to form a network of students, faculty and staff committed and trained to provide safe, non-judgmental and supportive contacts for all WOU community members regarding gay, lesbian, bisexual, trans and queer (GLBTQ) issues. It is symbolic of a willingness and a commitment to provide an atmosphere of unqualified acceptance and assistance. How can we all work towards achieving this mission here at Western?

  20. Want to Find Out More? • Resources: www.wou.edu/SafeZone http://www.campuspride.org/ http://www.diversitycentral.com/ http://www.sjti.org/resources.html http://www.stophate.org/ http://www.tolerance.org/teach/expand/ wfc/index.html http://www.thinkb4youspeak.com

  21. The WOU Safe Zone is YOU! Sign up to attend a Safe Zone training! Become a Safe Zone ally! Become a Safe Zone trainer! Join the Safe Zone Committee!

More Related