BODY SHAMING THROUGH MEMES IN SOCIAL MEDIA: A STUDY ON FIVE FACEBOOK PAGES
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.53808/KUS.SI.2023.ICSSI36-ssKeywords:
Body Shaming, Memes, Social Media, Facebook, VictimAbstract
The phenomenon of body shaming through memes on social media platforms, particularly on Facebook, has garnered attention due to its potential impact on individuals' self-esteem and body image. This study aims to investigate the prevalence and varieties of body shaming practiced via memes in Bangladesh, to explain the motivations behind body shaming via memes, and to identify the communities that are most affected by body shaming. It also seeks to determine the medium used for body shaming and the effect that trolling has on people's minds. This study used a mixed-method approach. Five Facebook pages were selected using the purposive sampling method and data was collected from 1st October 2021 to 30th September 2022 from those pages. In the quantitative part content analysis technique was applied to collect data, basically text, images, and videos. In the qualitative part, Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and Key Informant Interview (KII) have been used to gather in-depth insights, perspectives, and opinions from participants. Twelve students from two groups representing various universities took part in the FGD and 5 experts attended KII from various fields (Law, Social Media expert, Psychologist, and Human Rights worker). The results indicate that, if anything does not fit their viewpoint, people on Facebook can be observed talking critically about it. On Facebook, users not only criticize others but even themselves. In the Bangladeshi environment, more comments about size, height, masculinity, and skin tone were seen. Not just girls, but also boys and transgender people have been shown to be the targets of body-shaming memes. Whereas girls were thought to be the primary victims, most of the viral content featured boys or men as opposed to girls. To get money, many individuals make memes. The most significant cause of body shaming on social media is ignorance about online etiquette. People who experience body shaming often begin to detest themselves. People circulate body-shaming-related memes to appear cool in the eyes of others, and to elicit more likes, comments, or shares on social media.
Downloads
References
Abate, C. (2020, March 1). Body shaming in the age of social media. Healthline. https://www.healthline.com/health-news/body-shaming-in-social-media#Eating-disorders,-a-focus
Abedin, F. (2022, April 1). In a land of inequality, all oppression is a joke.dw.com. Retrieved from: dw.com, https://amp.dw.com/bn
Bell, C. (2016, December 20). The people who make body-shaming memes. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-38340095
Boerma, T., Hosseinpoor, A. R., Verdes, E., & Chatterji, S. (2016). A global assessment of the gender gap in self-reported health with survey data from 59 countries. BMC Public Health, 16(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-016-3352-y
Datar, V. (2019, November 6). How social media is increasing a person’s exposure to body shaming and body image. Times of India Blog. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/the-maven-style/how-social-media-is-increasing-a-persons-exposure-to-body-shaming-and-body-image/
Drew, T. G. A. P. R. B. C. (2023, July 26). Spiral of Silence Theory: Definition, Examples & Criticisms (2023). Helpful Professor. https://helpfulprofessor.com/spiral-of-silence-theory/Elíasdóttir, E. L. F. (2016). Is body shaming predicting poor physical health and is there a gender difference? https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Is-body-shaming-predicting-poor-physical-health-and-El%C3%ADasd%C3%B3ttir/402b7905e54e54e4b9a314518b4de52374853dd1
George, T. (2023). Mixed Methods Research | Definition, Guide & Examples. Scribbr. https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/mixed-methods-research/
Gibbs, C. (2018, April 8). Woman in cruel Facebook body-shaming meme speaks out. New York Daily News. https://www.nydailynews.com/life-style/woman-cruel-facebook-body-shaming-meme-speaks-article-1.2910958
Guillard, J. (2015). Shame in the sixth grade and the continued surveillance of female body hair. Vcu. https://www.academia.edu/15348843/Shame_in_the_Sixth_Grade_and_the_Continued_Surveillance_of_Female_Body_Hair
Hall, S. (1985). Signification, representation, ideology: Althusser and the post‐structuralist debates. Critical Studies in Mass Communication, 2(2), 91–114. https://doi.org/10.1080/15295038509360070
Islam. (2022, August 25). This time in DU, the position is in favor of freedom of clothing. Newsbangla24. https://www.newsbangla24.com/news/205025/This-time-in-DU-the-position-is-in-favor-of-freedom-of-clothing
Kariko, A. A. T., & Anasih, N. (2019). Laughing at one’s self: A study of self-reflective internet memes. https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Laughing-at-one%E2%80%99s-self%3A-A-study-of-self-reflective-Kariko-Anasih/d1b4867ed2812edcfc958a67320b62c7d634a87c
Konica, A. (2019, July 4). Body-Shaming: What’s In The Physique? Daily Sun. Retrieved from: https://www.daily-sun.com/printversion/details/404202/BodyShaming:-What%E2%80%99s-In-The-Physique-
Lua, A. (2023). Top social media sites to consider for your brand in 2023. Buffer Library. https://buffer.com/library/social-media-sites/
Mcleod, S. (2023). Qualitative vs Quantitative Research Methods & Data Analysis. Simply Psychology. https://www.simplypsychology.org/qualitative-quantitative.html
Mehedi, T. (2022, April 1). Laws or awareness are needed to prevent body shaming. Deutsche Welle.https://www.dw.com/bn/
Milon, I. (2022, July 28). Internet users in the country are not 18, but 12.5 crores. Newsbangla24. https://www.newsbangla24.com/science/200920/There-are-18-not-125-crore-internet-users-in-the-country
Nipa, J. (2021, July 23). Keto Diet Side Effects. Risingbd Online Bangla News Portal. https://www.risingbd.com/lifestyle/news/417434
Paglia, M. (2022). Psychology of Trolling: Why People Troll Online? IPC. https://theinternationalpsychologyclinic.com/psychology-of-trolling-why-people-troll-online/
Puluhulawa, M. R. U., & Husain, R. (2021). Body Shaming Through Social Media As a Digital Crime In The Era of Disruption. Jambura Law Review. https://doi.org/10.33756/jlr.v3i1.7200
Rogers, N. (2023, February 20). Psychology of social media: The science behind why people share. Meltwater. https://www.meltwater.com/en/blog/psychology-of-social-media-the-science-behind-why-people-share-online
Ruby, D. (2023). Social Media Users In 2023 (Global Demographics).DemandSage. https://www.demandsage.com/social-media-users/
Streefkerk, R. (2023). Inductive vs. Deductive Research Approach | Steps & Examples. Scribbr. https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/inductive-deductive-reasoning/
Strickland, K., & Walden. (2023). Body shaming: What is it & Why do we do it? Walden Eating Disorders. https://www.waldeneatingdisorders.com/blog/body-shaming-what-is-it-why-do-we-do-it/#:~:text=Body%2Dshaming%20(criticizing%20yourself%20or,slimmer%2C%20smaller%2C%20and%20tanner.
Tempesta, E. (2017, September 21). Plus-size model Lesego Legobane’s response to fat-shamer. Mail Online. https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-4904730/Plus-size-model-wows-internet-response-fat-shamer.html
Vinney, C. (2019). What is the Uses and Gratifications Theory? Definition and Examples. ThoughtCo. https://www.thoughtco.com/uses-and-gratifications-theory-4628333
Downloads
Published
How to Cite
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2023 Khulna University Studies

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.