Social and Psychological Aspects

Black Women, BBLs, and Body Image: An Inquiry into the Role Social Media Plays in Promoting the Thick Ideal

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Abstract

Brazilian butt lift surgery (BBL), is defined by the American Board of Cosmetic Surgery as ‘a specialized fat transfer procedure that augments the size and shape of the buttocks without implants.’ While members of all ethnic and racial groups elect to get cosmetic surgery, Brazilian butt lifts are especially popular among Black women. Thus, this research aimed to understand the trend towards buttock augmentation and body concerns among Black women and examine if social media plays a role in sharing information and opinions regarding the procedure within the Black community. The research was guided by two questions: (1) What discussions are Black women having about BBLs on social media? (2) Do conversations about BBLs impact Black women’s body image and body satisfaction? To explore the purpose, videos on TikTok were examined. The results fell under two themes: (1) Motivations for having a BBL and (2) Resistance against having a BBL. 

Keywords: Black Women, Brazilian Butt Lift, Thick Ideal, TikTok, Stereotypes, Body Image

How to Cite:

Grubbs, L. E. & Stannard, C. R., (2024) “Black Women, BBLs, and Body Image: An Inquiry into the Role Social Media Plays in Promoting the Thick Ideal”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 80(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.17497