The Politics of Identity in the Fashion Industry (Visual & Performing Arts Essay)

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The Politics of Identity in the Fashion Industry
Fashion is considered as an aesthetic expression through crafty decorations adorning the human body. This is a continuously changing art form that lets an individual visibly express how he or she wants to be seen by others on a daily basis. It is a showcase of freedom and liberation to make choices and have autonomy over one’s own body. In some cases, it reflects culture or religion that is embodied by the individual. Fashion also reflects how the times and generation has changed through the years, so history can also be seen in these pieces and trends (Strings, 2020). Nowadays, the presence of social media further amplified the impact of fashion, emphasizing the advantages, as well as the social issues and politics that it entails. In this paper, the politics of identity in fashion will be discussed, specifically fatphobia.
Fatphobia is a term for the unreasonable belief and prejudice linking fatness to negativity such as laziness, inactivity, ugliness, unstylish, unattractive, etc. This is an issue in the fashion industry that reflects how society works. The standards of beauty are most often associated with slender bodies, bony structures, and slim faces similar to those of models we see in runways and magazines, but this is not always a reality for everyone in the community which leads to a very critical society shaming those with plus-size bodies (Money, 2017).
Fashion plays a big role in self-expression, and in line with this are an individual’s self-esteem and confidence. It is a way for someone to look good and feel good. But the issue arises when the industry is not inclusive of those who are on the bulkier and heavier side of the scale. Instead of fashion promoting the beauty of an individual, it becomes a source of insecurity, bullying, and inferiority (Conte, 2017). The fash...