Abstract

SANCHEZ-ARGANDONA, Paola. Psychosocial construction of the female body from a gender perspective. Ajayu [online]. 2024, vol.22, n.1, pp.62-81.  Epub Mar 31, 2024. ISSN 2077-2161.  https://doi.org/10.35319/ajayu.221242.

This research examines the psychosocial construction of the female body in female models and young people aged 18 to 24 in La Paz, Bolivia. It analyzes the psychosocial implications on women's body image and the gender norms that impact femininity. Using a qualitative approach with an interpretative framework, three focus groups with women, three focus groups with men, and six in-depth interviews with female models were conducted to gather data. The results reveal dissatisfaction with body image compared to aesthetic ideals and the male gaze. The way the body is used for communication and how this communication is judged and valued by others, whether positively or negatively, indicates a need for social and economic approval, especially for models. Furthermore, it is observed that aesthetic notions of the "ideal body" and the internalization of beauty standards are reflected in how the female participants use their bodies and their conceptions of them. These aesthetic constructions influence even the most subtle aspects of women's interaction with their own bodies.

Keywords : body; gender; femininity; body image; aesthetics.

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