Gazing into a Distorted Looking Glass: Masculinity, Femininity, Appearance Ideals, and the Black Body

This article reviews socio‐psychological literature on racial identity development and feminist work on the body in an effort to better understand past and present constructions of the Black body. I begin by providing a brief overview of previous research on Black identity and self‐image, noting how these theories have been applied to appearance. I then historically trace the unique raced and gendered constructions of Black masculinity and femininity – showing how the experiences of Black men and women differ from the White hegemonic paradigm. Finally, I review current research on the Black body and highlight areas of inquiry where the field can be further expanded.