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Exploring Beauty Standards and Physical Markers of Beauty: What Shapes Perceptions of Beauty amongst Coloured Students at a Historically White University in the Western Cape?
Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2026.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2026
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| _version_ | 1867614008782094336 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Elias, Donne Amber |
| author2 | Lesch, Anthea |
| author_browse | Elias, Donne Amber Lesch, Anthea |
| author_facet | Lesch, Anthea Elias, Donne Amber |
| author_sort | Elias, Donne Amber |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2026. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/135797 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:45:13.015Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| publishDateRange | 2026 |
| publishDateSort | 2026 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/135797 Exploring Beauty Standards and Physical Markers of Beauty: What Shapes Perceptions of Beauty amongst Coloured Students at a Historically White University in the Western Cape? Elias, Donne Amber Lesch, Anthea Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Psychology Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2026. Elias, D. A. 2026. Exploring Beauty Standards and Physical Markers of Beauty: What Shapes Perceptions of Beauty amongst Coloured Students at a Historically White University in the Western Cape? Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/af60e006-bb86-430e-848a-776b26c1e954 Introduction: Despite the dominance of White beauty norms and the racialisation of beauty standards, there is limited research on this issue and how it affects the psychological well-being of young Coloured people in contemporary South Africa (SA). Research has shown that various contextual factors affect standards of beauty, which shape how beauty is perceived. The family and community are the first contexts in which a racialised idea of beauty is introduced. A racialised beauty standard is further reinforced on a societal level (e.g., educational system, social media etc.) The perpetuation and transmission of racialised beauty standards negatively affect non-White individuals whose physical appearance deviates furthest from Whiteness, contributing to negative mental health outcomes. Therefore, the aims of the study were to explore how young Coloured people define physical beauty in contemporary SA, what/who informs their beauty perceptions, and whether racialised beauty standards are intergenerationally transmitted to the young generation of Coloured people. Methodology: A qualitative, exploratory research design was used. Both purposeful and snowball sampling were employed to recruit research participants. The sample consisted of 13 self-identifying Coloured students from Stellenbosch University (HWI), aged between 18 to 24 years old. Data was collected via a photovoice exercise and focus groups. The focus group discussions were audio-recorded and transcribed. Findings: The data was thematically analysed using Atlas.ti25, generating three main themes 1) Legacy of apartheid: The intergenerational transmission of Eurocentric beauty standards, 2) Society: Global and local perspectives on beauty, 3) Becoming beautiful: Embarking on a journey of embracing your true self. The findings reveal that SA’s history of racial classification continues to affect young Coloured peoples’ conceptualisations of beauty in democratic SA, as the older generation of Coloured people (e.g., parents and grandparents) still hold aspirations for Eurocentric physical features. Participant narratives showed that racialised beauty standards have been intergenerationally transmitted and internalised by the young generation of Coloured people. Furthermore, the findings highlight that racialised beauty standards are further reinforced by the media and HWI’s which shaped the participants’ reported perceptions and definitions of beauty. Despite the dominance of Eurocentric beauty standards infiltrating their social world, the participants reported that they are making the decision to perceive beauty differently and embrace their true self. Participants describe taking on an advocating role by promoting diverse beauty standards and emphasising the importance of inner beauty. Conclusion: This research study expanded on and contributed to addressing the gap in the race and psychological literature regarding racialised beauty standards and what/who informs this racialised idea of beauty amongst the young generation of Coloured people post-1994. The findings of this study can enhance the understanding this particular demographic and how beauty standards operate to inform relevant policies and interventions. Future research is needed to obtain a more comprehensive understanding of how beauty standards operate and to add to the growing literature of young Coloured people reclaiming their identities through beauty in democratic SA. Masters 2026-04-10T10:41:56Z 2026-04-10T10:41:56Z 2026-03 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/135797 en Stellenbosch University 182 pages application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Elias, Donne Amber Exploring Beauty Standards and Physical Markers of Beauty: What Shapes Perceptions of Beauty amongst Coloured Students at a Historically White University in the Western Cape? |
| title | Exploring Beauty Standards and Physical Markers of Beauty: What Shapes Perceptions of Beauty amongst Coloured Students at a Historically White University in the Western Cape? |
| title_full | Exploring Beauty Standards and Physical Markers of Beauty: What Shapes Perceptions of Beauty amongst Coloured Students at a Historically White University in the Western Cape? |
| title_fullStr | Exploring Beauty Standards and Physical Markers of Beauty: What Shapes Perceptions of Beauty amongst Coloured Students at a Historically White University in the Western Cape? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Exploring Beauty Standards and Physical Markers of Beauty: What Shapes Perceptions of Beauty amongst Coloured Students at a Historically White University in the Western Cape? |
| title_short | Exploring Beauty Standards and Physical Markers of Beauty: What Shapes Perceptions of Beauty amongst Coloured Students at a Historically White University in the Western Cape? |
| title_sort | exploring beauty standards and physical markers of beauty what shapes perceptions of beauty amongst coloured students at a historically white university in the western cape |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/135797 |
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