Abstract:
Dieting, a long-held standard for successful weight loss, health maintenance, and beauty
attainment, is a potentially harmful practice that not only hints at a societal requirement of a
certain body type in order to fit into American culture. While diets affect millions of people
across the United States, women are especially targeted due to years of gender norms that expect
women to look a certain way in order to be considered attractive. Movies, television, social
media, and culture reinforce the idea that fat bodies are bad and there is one perfect body type
that everyone must pursue. The body positive movement has helped to bridge gaps between
culture and plus sized people, but still has progress to make in unconditional acceptance of all
people and bodies. This thesis examines dieting in the context of American culture, and how the
practice is used to control women and their bodies. Although the body positivity movement has
potential to challenge these standards, there is still an overarching ideal of a favorable body
shape and size. In conclusion, increased diversity is an effective solution, albeit difficult to
achieve. This diversity, in order to be effective, must be in more than just body type, and must
include categories of race and ability level as well.
