FIGHTING AGAINST BEAUTY STIGMA IN “BIG GIRL”(2022) BY MECCA J. SULLIVAN

Oct 23, 2026

Research analyzes Mecca J. Sullivan’s novel Big Girl (2022) to examine how beauty myth constructs body stigma and shapes the main female character. Using a descriptive qualitative approach guided by Naomi Wolf’s Beauty Myth concept, the study interprets sentences and phrases within their novel context. Findings show stigma appears through social construction of beauty, beauty as social weapon, and economic exploitation of beauty. The beauty myth produces body stigma and elevates an ideal body, causing women to tie self-worth to appearance.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages10

Reading Time25 min

AccessFree to download

A. INTRODUCTION

Beauty standards and exclusion

Beauty myth and self-worth

Eurocentrism, racism, and body stigma

Black women and weight stigma

Beauty myth–body stigma relationship in the novel

FIGHTING AGAINST BEAUTY STIGMA IN “BIG GIRL”(2022) BY MECCA J. SULLIVAN Vanny Softiana1, Desvalini Anwar2 English Department Faculty of Languages and Arts Universitas Negeri Padang [email:](email: vannysoftiana@gmail.com)[ ](email: vannysoftiana@gmail.com)[vannysoftiana@gmail.com](email: vannysoftiana@gmail.com) Abstract This research is an analysis of the novel entitled Big Girl (2022) by Mecca J. Sullivan. The purpose of this research is to determine how beauty myth which constructs body stigma affects the main female character depicted in the novel. This research uses a descriptive qualitative method that uses the concept of Beauty Myth by Naomi Wolf, with data taken from the interpretation of sentences or phrases and context to dissect the content of the novel. The findings of the analysis show that the societal construction of body stigma is influenced by and occurs in the form of : social construction of beauty namely the idea that beauty standards are not natural but are formed by culture and society, beauty as social weapon namely beauty is used as a control of social structures to subjugate women, and economic exploitation of beauty namely beauty is used as a tool of commercialization and social control. In conclusion, the beauty myth produces body stigma and glorifies the ideal body according to societal standards that make women believe that their self-worth depends on their appearance. Key words: beauty myth, body stigma, body acceptance. A. INTRODUCTION In today’s society, women are free to refuse the conservative beauty standards and make independent choices about their appearance without needing to worry about cultural expectations, such as having slim body, light skin color or pointed nose in order to look attractive. Women who do not conform to these ideals, such as women of color or those with larger body shape, are often excluded. These ideals also continue to control women through appearance-based expectations with capitalist industries who took profit from women’s insecurities. An example of this issues can be seen from the American singer, Lizzo, who had to face not only weight stigma but also racism because she is Black. Lizzo rejects these narrow beauty standards and is confident without hiding her body shape 1 English ELLSP of English Department of FBS Universitas Negeri Padang graduated on December 2025 2 Lecturer of English Department of FBS Universitas Negeri Padang proving that fat Black women are also talented and attractive. She also raise awareness concerning the importance of body positivity and self-acceptance especially for fat Black women who are often marginalized. However, despite the freedom to refuse, there are still many women who follow the beauty standards imposed on them. Women’s choices especially about their physical appearance often influenced and even steered by the community they live with or through advertisement of beauty products. This standards required women to look impeccable and placed women on what defined as beautiful women especially about their physical appearance like having a slim body. This beauty norms leads to stigmatization around women’s body shape. This beauty standard lead up to the beauty myth term based on the concept of Naomi Wolf who claims that beauty myth is a constructed standard of beauty that pressures women by making them believe their self-worth depends on how they look. As stated by Wolf (1992 : 1) that the ideal was someone tall, thin, white, a face without flaws, someone wholly “perfect”. This beauty norms especially in the United States shaped by the Eurocentric characteristics such as thinness, light skin, and straight hair. Rooted from white supremacy, this standards are deeply interrelated with Naomi Wolf’s beauty myth concept. White supremacy has historically justified racial and oppression towards non-white people. On the word of Baird,(2021) Black skin had been degraded so much and Eurocentric ideals exhi

FAQs

What is the main research purpose in this study?

To determine how beauty myth, which constructs body stigma, affects the main female character in the novel Big Girl (2022).

What research method and framework are used?

A descriptive qualitative method is used, guided by Naomi Wolf’s concept of Beauty Myth, with data drawn from interpretations of sentences, phrases, and context.

How does the study explain the sources of beauty stigma?

It identifies social construction of beauty, beauty as a social weapon that controls women, and economic exploitation of beauty through commercialization and social control.

Oct 23, 2026

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