Social Construction of Body Positivity Movement on Instagram among Teenage Girls in Surabaya, Indonesia

Pipit Siti Kiptiyah; Ahmad Ridwan

doi:10.21580/sa.v20i1.26427

Authors

Pipit Siti Kiptiyah Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Negeri Surabaya, Surabaya, Indonesia https://orcid.org/0009-0002-8679-8254
Ahmad Ridwan Department of Sociology, Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Universitas Negeri Surabaya, Surabaya, Indonesia https://orcid.org/0009-0003-9246-2885

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21580/sa.v20i1.26427

Keywords:

body positivity, Instagram, social construction, social media, young women

Abstract

Body image on digital platforms, particularly Instagram, has become a significant arena for negotiating and redefining ideals of beauty, self-esteem, and identity, reflecting broader social shifts. This research examines the social construction of the body positivity movement on Instagram among teenage girls in Surabaya through Peter L. Berger’s theoretical framework, which posits that social reality is formed through externalization, objectivation, and internalization, where individuals and society co-create meanings through interaction. Employing a qualitative descriptive approach, this study involved 12 female informants aged 13-21 who actively use Instagram. Data were obtained through in-depth interviews and visual content analysis, and were then analyzed thematically to identify patterns in body image narratives, self-acceptance, and digital resistance. Findings reveal that these young women are not passive recipients of beauty norms; instead, they actively reconstruct bodily meanings through their everyday media practices. The body positivity movement emerges as a counter-narrative that transforms collective identity and redefines women’s bodies from objects to dignified subjects. This research contributes to media and body sociology, emphasizing critical digital literacy and inclusive education in fostering youth empowerment and gender-sensitive interventions.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Ahmad Ridwan, and Muhammad Faruki. “Gender Construction at Islamic Poor Community: Study of Critical Ethnography in Sidosermo, Surabaya.” Jurnal Partisipatoris 6, no. 2 (2024): 16–26. https://doi.org/10.22219/jp.v6i2.35888.

Alleva, Jessica M., and Tracy L. Tylka. “Body Functionality: A Review of the Literature.” Body Image 36 (2021): 149–71. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2020.11.006.

Anisa, Ayu Reni, and Septia Winduwati. “Pemaknaan Body Positivity dalam Film Imperfect pada Kalangan Remaja di Jakarta.” Koneksi 5, no. 2 (2021): 427. https://doi.org/10.24912/kn.v5i2.10421.

Aristantya, Era Kurnia, and Avin Fadilla Helmi. “Citra Tubuh pada Remaja Pengguna Instagram.” Gadjah Mada Journal of Psychology (GamaJoP) 5, no. 2 (2019): 114–28. https://doi.org/10.22146/gamajop.50624.

Choukas-Bradley, Sophia, Savannah R. Roberts, Anne J. Maheux, and Jacqueline Nesi. “The Perfect Storm: A Developmental–Sociocultural Framework for the Role of Social Media in Adolescent Girls’ Body Image Concerns and Mental Health.” Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review 25, no. 4 (2022): 681–701. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10567-022-00404-5.

Cohen, Rachel, Toby Newton-John, and Amy Slater. “The Case for Body Positivity on Social Media: Perspectives on Current Advances and Future Directions.” Journal of Health Psychology 26, no. 13 (2021): 2365–73. https://doi.org/10.1177/1359105320912450.

Diwani, Aiga, and Ratih Hasanah Sudrajat. “Analisis Konten Social Marketing Campaign Dove #RambutAkuKataAku di Youtube pada Konsep Body Positivity.” Jurnal Interaksi: Jurnal Ilmu Komunikasi 7, no. 2 (2023): 165–76. https://doi.org/10.30596/ji.v7i2.13702.

Editors. “Body Positivity Indonesia, Wadah Baru untuk Gerakan Mencintai Diri.” Kumparan Style, February 28, 2019. https://kumparan.com/kumparanstyle/body-positivity-indonesia-wadah-baru-untuk-gerakan-mencintai-diri-1551338097285887139/full.

Fidianti, Fitri. “Analisis Semiotika Barthes tentang Makna dalam Postingan Foto Body Positivity Media Sosial Tara Basro.” E-Proceeding of Management 8, no. 2 (2021): 1614.

Huwaidah, Talitha Paramesti. “Hubungan Antara Body Image dengan Self Presentation pada Remaja Putri Pengguna Media Sosial Instagram di SMA Islam Al Azhar 14 Semarang.” [Undergraduate Thesis]. Universitas Islam Sultan Agung Semarang, 2024.

Wikipedia. “Instagram,” n.d. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Instagram.

Jannatania, Jasmin, Dadang R. Hidayat, and Sri S. Indriani. “Wacana Gerakan Body Positivity sebagai Respons dari Perilaku Body Shaming di Instagram.” Jurnal Ilmiah Muqoddimah: Jurnal Ilmu Sosial, Politik, dan Humaniora 7, no. 3 (2023): 687–97. https://doi.org/10.31604/jim.v7i3.2023.687-697.

Kato, Sherly Yuriko, and Stefani Virlia. “Self Esteem Remaja Pengguna Instagram ditinjau dari Body Image dan Social Comparison sebagai Moderator.” Jurnal Psikologi 17, no. 1 (2024): 174–88. https://doi.org/10.35760/psi.2024.v17i1.10828.

Lizzobeeating. “There Was a time when it was illegal for my granny’s granny to read ….” Instagram, December 15, 2024. https://www.instagram.com/p/DDksv6fTicg/.

Pedalino, Federica, and Anne-Linda Camerini. “Instagram Use and Body Dissatisfaction: The Mediating Role of Upward Social Comparison with Peers and Influencers among Young Females.” International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health 19, no. 3 (2022): 1543. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19031543.

Pradnya, Iza. “Nda papa kok, nda papa kok tegas sebelum sakit ….” Instagram, February 3, 2024. https://www.instagram.com/p/C23aDyWPkAlr1dSbNPS4ItKvhy1zBHER1dw_5c0/.

Pramono, Muhamad Sidik, Tony Tampake, Izak Y. M. Lattu, and Adlan Christember Molewe. “Peter L. Berger and Thomas Luckmann’s Social Construction of the Institutionalization of Tolerance Values in the Nyadran Perdamaian Tradition.” Al Ma’arief: Jurnal Pendidikan Sosial dan Budaya 6, no. 1 (2024): 49–61. https://doi.org/10.35905/almaarief.v6i1.9759.

Puntarelia, Bianca, Gabriella A. Di Capua, and Carolina Jimenez. “Influence of the Body-Positive Movement on Youth Habits, Eating Behavior and Social Participation.” African Journal of Biological Sciences (South Africa) 6, no. 10 (2024): 273–95. https://www.afjbs.com/uploads/paper/b004d821d9fdf8e51b4ea915e7a0c6e5.pdf.

Purnama, Basuki Eka. “Instagram Jadi Media Sosial Terpopuler di Kalangan Gen Z.” Media Indonesia, March 29, 2024. https://mediaindonesia.com/teknologi/662211/instagram-jadi-media-sosial-terpopuler-di-kalangan-gen-z.

Rafsanjani, Hussein Ruslan. “Teori Konstruksi Sosial Peter L. Berger: Profil, Perspektif, Contohnya.” Sosiologi Info, 2022. https://www.sosiologi.info/2022/02/teori-konstruksi-sosial-peter-l-berger-profil-perspektif-contohnya.html.

Rohmadhani, Waode Syaifatul, and Tiara Diah Sosialita. “Hubungan antara Self-esteem dan Body Image pada Remaja Perempuan.” Buletin Riset Psikologi dan Kesehatan Mental, 2022.

Saepudin, Ageng Kanda, and Ayu Oktaviani. “Dampak Media Sosial terhadap Rasa Percaya Diri terkait Citra Tubuh Generasi Z di Kota Cimahi.” Janaloka: Jurnal Ilmu Komunikasi 1, no. 2 (2023): 81. https://doi.org/10.26623/janaloka.v1i2December.8143.

Sartika Tobing, Nisa, Rahma Hayati, and Henri Sitorus. “Platform Instagram sebagai Media Pembentuk Citra Diri Virtual pada Mahasiswa.” Jurnal Ilmu Sosial dan Ilmu Politik 5, no. 1 (2023): 47–53. https://doi.org/10.56552/jisipol.v5i1.112.

Simon, Kathleen, and Megan Hurst. “Body Positivity, but Not for Everyone: The Role of Model Size in Exposure Effects on Women’s Mood, Body Satisfaction, and Food Choice.” Body Image 39 (2021): 125–30. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2021.07.001.

Wibowo, Antonius Tri, Martaria Rizky Rinaldi, Aditya Rachman, and Wa Ode Musdalifa Al Sadila. “Promoting Body Positivity: Psikoedukasi Meningkatkan Kesadaran Citra Tubuh Positif.” Jurnal Pengabdian Olahraga Masyarakat (JPOM) 3, no. 2 (2022): 124–32. https://doi.org/10.26877/jpom.v3i2.13587.

Wisefa, Asseanila. “Analisis Data Media Arus Utama dan Media Sosial Tahun 2024.” Indosiana.id, February 28, 2025. https://www.indonesiana.id/read/180619/analisis-data-media-arus-utama-dan-media-sosial-tahun-2024.