Body Revolution Syllabus Draft.

Course Topics
1. Body Image
Topic Objectives
 Define concepts such as positive and negative body image.
 Identify factors that influence how body image is interpreted.
 Discuss the change in trends in society attitude towards appearance and size.
 Identify challenges to achieving body acceptance.
Topic Resources
● https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ME-c0l8oTkYStripping away negative body image
— Lilian Bustle

● “Culture and Body Image” – Sarah Grogan (from Body Image: Understanding Body
Dissatisfaction in Men, Women and Children)

 “CroMagon Karma’- Chris Godsey (from Body Outlaws: Rewriting the Rules of Beauty
and Body Image, ed. Ophira Edut)
Topic Assignments
1. Interview a friend on their perspective of body Image and write a 1-2-page summary
Possible interview questions include:
o Do they generally feel positive or negative about their appearance?
o Do they feel pressure to fit a certain body type and standard of beauty? Why?
o What do they feel are the biggest influencers on their own body image?
o In what ways do they conform to society’s expectations?
o In what ways do they challenge them?
2. Reflection Paper on Articles covered.
2. Body and Beauty Standards
Topic Objectives
 Define societal standards of acceptance on body size and youth.
 Define ageism and how it is a potential obstacle in a professional captivity
 Identify how narrow standards of beauty can create potential obstacles to success
- professionally and romantically.
 Discuss work place discrimination based on age and size
Topic Resources
● Size Queen – John Chaich (from Body Outlaws: Rewriting the Rules of Beauty and Body
Image, ed. Ophira Edut)
● Becoming Old and Becoming Extinct: Challenging Ageism in Fashion and Lingerie:
https://medium.com/@lord_georgie/becoming-old-and-becoming-extinct-challenging-
ageism-in-fashion-lingerie-289e8786f91#.xsill1co0
● Employers Are Discriminating Against Overweight Women—And It’s Totally Legal –
Catherine Pearson https://www.huffpost.com/entry/employer-weight-discrimination-
women_n_5bd755d7e4b017e5bfd4a12a

Topic Assignments
1. Reflection prompt: Our society has very clearly defined but also very narrow standards
for acceptable body size. Youth is also prized over age. How do these standards create
potential obstacles to success—professionally and romantically—for those of us who
don’t “measure up?”

3. The Influence of Media

Topic Objectives
 Identify how media plays a role in representation.
 Discuss the representation on popular media sources today.
 Discuss the current outcomes of media representation.
 Identify the underrepresented groups in media.
Topic Resources
● Killing Us Softly 4: Advertising’s Image of Women – Jean Kilbourne
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOxKxXAW3eI
● The Complicated Truth About Social Media and Body Image – Kelly Oakes
http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20190311-how-social-media-affects-body-image
● Leventy, A. (2019, September 19). The importance of social media when it comes to
LGBTQ kids feeling seen. Retrieved from The Washington Post:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/2019/09/20/importance-social-media-when-it-
comes-lgbtq-kids-feeling-seen/
● Makwana, B., Lee, Y., Parkin, S., & Farmer, L. (2018). Selfie-Esteem: The Relationship
Between Body Dissatisfaction and Social Media in Adolescent and Young Women.
Retrieved from The Inquisitive Mind : https://www.in-mind.org/article/selfie-esteem-the-
relationship-between-body-dissatisfaction-and-social-media-in-adolescent

Topic Assignment
Reflection prompt: What role do you think the media plays in influencing our body image?
What are some of the harmful effects of indiscriminate media consumption? How can we
counteract the messages we're given through advertising?

4. Cross-Culture Perspectives

Topic Objectives
 Contrast and compare standards of beauty in different cultures.
 Identify racial bias with relation to beauty.
 Define white “whitewashing” in different cultures.
 Topic Resources
●Body Images in Non-Western Cultures – Eileen P. Anderson-Fye (from Body Image: A
Handbook of Science, Practice and Prevention, eds. Thomas F. Cash & Linda Smolak)
●I’m Not Fat, I’m Latina – Christy Haubegger (from Body Outlaws: Rewriting the Rules
of Beauty and Body Image, ed. Ophira Edut)
● “Whitewashing” in Mass Media: Exploring Colorism and the Damaging Effects of
Beauty Hierarchies https://raceandtechnology.wordpress.com/2014/12/10/whitewashing-
in-mass-media-exploring-colorism-and-the-damaging-effects-of-beauty-hierarchies/
(watch the two embedded documentary trailers, too)
● When Does Plastic Surgery Become Racial Transformation? - Chris Stokel-Walker
https://www.buzzfeed.com/chrisstokelwalker/when-does-plastic-surgery-become-racial-
transformation?utm_term=.jupApAMoZg#.mtbRBRw41q
Topic Assignment
Reflection prompt: How does racial bias shape our ideas about what is considered
attractive, and what are the negative consequences of consuming such narrow,
Eurocentric ideals of beauty? How do non-White cultures see and value beauty?
5. Eating Disorders
Topic Objectives
 Identify the most common eating disorders experienced by young people
 Discus the interconnectedness between body dissatisfaction and eating disorders.
 Discus factors that are contributing to an increase of people having eating disorders.
Topic Resources
●Eating Disorders: About More Than Food National Institute of Mental Health
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/eating-disorders/index.shtml
●Orthorexia Nervosa – Christina Gregory, PhD
https://www.psycom.net/eating-disorders/orthorexia/
●Is Orthorexia the Eating Disorder for the Digital Age? – Jancee Dunn
https://www.vogue.com/article/orthorexia-eating-disorder-digital-age

Topic Assignments

Reflection prompt: How did you feel about eating disorders before learning this
information versus after? Do you see evidence of eating disorder romanization in the
media? What might be some ways to confront this? Do you have any rules surrounding
eating? Are all rules surrounding food necessarily bad?

6. Sex, Sexuality and Body Image

Topic Objectives
● Discus body image in relation to sexuality and gender identity.
● Discus representation of the LGBTQ+ community in the media.
● Discus how media representation may affect body image in the LGBTQ+ community.
Topic Resources
● “Body Image and Sexual Functioning” – Michael W. Wiederman (from Body Image: A
Handbook of Science, Practice & Prevention, eds. Thomas F. Cash & Linda Smolak)
● “Gay and Lesbian Body Images” – Todd G. Morrison & Jessica M. McCutcheon (from
Body Image: A Handbook of Science, Practice & Prevention, eds. Thomas F. Cash &
Linda Smolak)
● “Men and Body Satisfaction” – Sarah Grogan (from Body Image: Understanding Body
Dissatisfaction in Men, Women and Children)
● Why Am I So Gay? 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=_U1foLW8h54&list=PLKBKbFFRm_h1mx1wBp03S_L5V7cam78Lu&index=9
Topic Assignments
Reflection prompt: How does body image affect sexuality and gender identity? Are
members of the LGBTQA+ community represented adequately in the media today? What
can communities do to try to help their LGBTQA+ members feel like they belong?
7. Body Modification
Topic Objectives
 Discus how body modification affects body image.
 Discus how has cosmetic surgery affected peoples body image.
Topic Resources
Body Modification & Body Image. (2020). Retrieved from Bradley University:
https://www.bradley.edu/sites/bodyproject/disability/modification/
Topic Assignments
Reflection prompt: Has body modification and plastic surgery helped with the issue of
body satisfaction.
8. Disability, Illness and Non-normative Bodies
Topic Objectives
 Discussing representation of non-normative bodies.
 Identify factor that affect body dissatisfaction.
Topic Resources
Disability, Illness & Non-normative Bodies. (2020). Retrieved from Bradley University:
https://www.bradley.edu/sites/bodyproject/disability/