Structural Injustice and the Requirements of Beauty

The paper examined the concept of structural injustice in the context of beauty norms and body image anxiety, arguing that the communal harms from rising beauty demands are not due to individual choices but are structural issues. It highlighted the increasing pressures on both men and women to meet appearance standards, leading to significant body image dissatisfaction and anxiety. The study applied Iris Marion Young’s account of structural injustice, suggesting that these harms require collective action and political responsibility rather than individual blame. The paper also acknowledged the benefits of beauty practices but emphasized the need to understand the complexity of beauty norms through a structural lens.