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AN ABSTRACT OF THE DISSERTATION OF Michelle Marie for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Design and Human Environment presented on June 9, 2016. Title: Lived Experiences of “Beautiful” Women: A Postmodern Feminist Exploration of Beauty Discourse and Identity Abstract Approved: Brigitte G. Cluver While a great deal is known about the benefits of being culturally identified as attractive, very little is known about the lived experiences of beautiful women. In this study, 21 adult women who are currently employed as models or represented by modeling agencies participated in open-ended interviews, and their responses were analyzed using a Foucauldian and postmodern feminist theoretical framework. Findings generally support and complicate the conclusions of extant research: Beautiful women are shown to have a complex definition of beauty, an awareness of being understood by society as beautiful, positive and negative experiences that are associated with being beautiful, feelings of confidence, and opportunities for creativity within modeling work. Interpretation of findings via a Foucauldian and postmodern feminist framework reveals ways in which power, knowledge, and subjectivation combine in participants’ lived experiences and problematizes beauty discourse and the identities of “beautiful” women subjects. Power deploys discourses of “beauty” and “modeling” and employs multiple strategies that conceal and simultaneously reinforce their existence. Knowledge is present in participants’ lives in several ways, and is applied by participants in service of power and to construct their identities as “beautiful” subjects. Subjectivation, or participants’ development of a relationship to themselves, occurs physically via beauty practices and mentally via the choices they make in how they view themselves and represent themselves to others. Participants’ experiences of becoming constituted as “beautiful,” feeling confident, and how others treat them are located at the confluences of power, knowledge, and subjectivation in their lives. ©Copyright by Michelle Marie June 9, 2016 All Rights Reserved Lived Experiences of “Beautiful” Women: A Postmodern Feminist Exploration of Beauty Discourse and Identity by Michelle Marie A DISSERTATION submitted to Oregon State University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Presented June 9, 2016 Commencement June 2017 Doctor of Philosophy dissertation of Michelle Marie presented on June 9, 2016. APPROVED: Major Professor, representing Design and Human Environment School of Design and Human Environment Graduate Program Coordinator Dean of the Graduate School I understand that my dissertation will become part of the permanent collection of Oregon State University libraries. My signature below authorizes release of my dissertation to any reader upon request. Michelle Marie, Author ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This dissertation is dedicated with immense gratitude to: Tina Green-Price, who wondered what I was doing after I graduated the first time and handed me off to Jamie LeGore, who hired me and through whom I met John Hope-Johnstone, who hired me for a job which connected me to Beth Rietveld, who suggested that I go talk to Susan Shaw, who said to check the box. Lani Roberts, who taught me feminism and also to put the commas inside the quotation marks already. Amanda Wittman, my first academic role model, through whom I inherited Cyndi Briggs, who introduced me to Cuban salsa dancing, through which I met Leslie Burns, who said I could do a doctorate. Stephanie Duckett, who created for me the opportunity to become a student parent advocate and who introduced me to Dennis Dugan, who recruited me to the Coalition of Graduate Employees, through which John Osborne thanked me for volunteering to order better pizza, which after the passage of years resulted in being hired by Dennis Bennett, who introduced me to Writing Center conversation and through whom I met Katelyn Hagel and Sarah Norek, who along with Jen Gervais said just the right things at just the right moments during the writing process. Brigitte Cluver and Hsiou-Lien Chen, without whose gracious and open-handed support I would literally have not done this. Janet Lee, who made it so much more complicated and so much more valuable. Shari Clough, who at just the right moment handed me over to Stephanie Jenkins, who recommended the book which made everything finally make sense. Molly Engle, for being willing to serve. My participants, for so graciously sharing their experiences with me. The Dalgas family, whose generosity enabled me to be a more present and attentive mother and scholar. Miriam Collett, because of whom I know what it’s like to have a biggest fan. Kaely Horton, irreplaceable colleague and officemate. Rachel Ulrich, who understands. Malia Arenth Sexton, whose reassurance that I didn’t have to finish if I didn’t want to was very … motivational. S. Ashley Bromley, who organizes my community. Rosina Busse (“school busse, city busse”) Grove, because of whom I occasionally speak a little bit more pretentiously than may be absolutely necessary, and who made perfectly timed editorial magic happen. Randy Moore, who valiantly drove me places, fed me things, and generally took care of me as I tried to figure out what the heck I was actually going to write. Mary Belle Morrison GrosJacques, whose financial support made this possible from the moment of my very first OSU tuition deposit, Jennifer Ruth GrosJacques Price, whose care of Little Jenny made my very first OSU degree possible, Nancy Marie GrosJacques Farris, who introduced me to the ritualized performance of the turned page and grounded me absolutely in an orientation of awe and respect to the printed word. Jennifer Marie Boyd, even though that one time you were mad at me and said I wasn’t ever going to finish that “thing” I was writing, and finally to Leah Grace Martin, for whom I decided I better go ahead and walk at graduation. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................... 1 Statement of Purpose ....................................................................................................................... 5 Research Questions .......................................................................................................................... 5 Assumptions ....................................................................................................................................... 5 Definitions of Terms ........................................................................................................................ 7 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW ............................................................................ 9 Theoretical Framework ................................................................................................................... 9 Experience ......................................................................................................................................... 10 Knowledge ........................................................................................................................................ 10 Discourses................................................................................................................................. 11 Power .................................................................................................................................................. 13 Resistance ................................................................................................................................. 15 Strategies of Power ......................................................................................................................... 17 Normativities ........................................................................................................................... 17 Surveillance .............................................................................................................................. 17 Panopticon ................................................................................................................................ 19 Confession ................................................................................................................................ 19 Subjectivation .......................................................................................................................... 20 Disciplinary practices ............................................................................................................ 21 Identity ............................................................................................................................................... 22 Discipline of women’s bodies ..................................................................................................... 24 Summary of theoretical framework ........................................................................................... 26 “Beauty” as defined in extant research ..................................................................................... 28 Gender ....................................................................................................................................... 30 Race ............................................................................................................................................ 30 Age ............................................................................................................................................

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