Consuming the Image: Hierarchies of Beauty and Power in Us Latino, Colombian, and Dominican Cultural Productions

University of Kentucky UKnowledge Theses and Dissertations--Hispanic Studies Hispanic Studies 2016 CONSUMING THE IMAGE: HIERARCHIES OF BEAUTY AND POWER IN US LATINO, COLOMBIAN, AND DOMINICAN CULTURAL PRODUCTIONS Angela Postigo University of Kentucky, [email protected] Digital Object Identifier: http://dx.doi.org/10.13023/ETD.2016.215 Right click to open a feedback form in a new tab to let us know how this document benefits ou.y Recommended Citation Postigo, Angela, "CONSUMING THE IMAGE: HIERARCHIES OF BEAUTY AND POWER IN US LATINO, COLOMBIAN, AND DOMINICAN CULTURAL PRODUCTIONS" (2016). Theses and Dissertations--Hispanic Studies. 27. https://uknowledge.uky.edu/hisp_etds/27 This Doctoral Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Hispanic Studies at UKnowledge. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations--Hispanic Studies by an authorized administrator of UKnowledge. For more information, please contact [email protected]. STUDENT AGREEMENT: I represent that my thesis or dissertation and abstract are my original work. Proper attribution has been given to all outside sources. I understand that I am solely responsible for obtaining any needed copyright permissions. I have obtained needed written permission statement(s) from the owner(s) of each third-party copyrighted matter to be included in my work, allowing electronic distribution (if such use is not permitted by the fair use doctrine) which will be submitted to UKnowledge as Additional File. I hereby grant to The University of Kentucky and its agents the irrevocable, non-exclusive, and royalty-free license to archive and make accessible my work in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I agree that the document mentioned above may be made available immediately for worldwide access unless an embargo applies. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of my work. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of my work. I understand that I am free to register the copyright to my work. REVIEW, APPROVAL AND ACCEPTANCE The document mentioned above has been reviewed and accepted by the student’s advisor, on behalf of the advisory committee, and by the Director of Graduate Studies (DGS), on behalf of the program; we verify that this is the final, approved version of the student’s thesis including all changes required by the advisory committee. The undersigned agree to abide by the statements above. Angela Postigo, Student Dr. Susan Carvalho, Major Professor Dr. Moises R. Castillo, Director of Graduate Studies CONSUMING THE IMAGE: HIERARCHIES OF BEAUTY AND POWER IN US LATINO, COLOMBIAN, AND DOMINICAN CULTURAL PRODUCTIONS ________________________________ DISSERTATION ________________________________ A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Kentucky. By Angela Marie Postigo Lexington, Kentucky Director: Dr. Susan Carvalho, Professor of Hispanic Studies Lexington, Kentucky 2016 ABSTRACT OF DISSERTATION CONSUMING THE IMAGE: HIERARCHIES OF BEAUTY AND POWER IN US LATINO, COLOMBIAN, AND DOMINICAN CULTURAL PRODUCTIONS This dissertation focuses on dominant contemporary depictions of women in order to investigate the related processes of producing and policing physical attractiveness and privilege in mainstream cultural productions. I examine how certain US Latina, Colombian, and Dominican female portrayals fit definite paradigms of ideal beauty and contribute to patterns of power within magazines, films and television, music, and literary novels. I explore the ways in which the majority of dominant representations in all three countries favor specific beauty ideals linked with an Anglo or Northern European archetype, thus limiting the acceptable model and excluding a great part of the racially mixed female population which fails to match this criterion. By studying the relationship between body image and messages that inspire anxiety for those women who fall outside of ideal beauty patterns, my analysis bridges sociological and anthropological studies within literary theories and visual culture and contributes to new perspectives on Latinidad and Tropicalism by including a trans-nationalistic approach. While much work has been done on the connection between the body and identity within the United States, scholarship within this area has been more limited within Hispanic literature and Latin American popular culture in terms of the role of power structures. While one perception of beauty is that it is merely physical, in reality racial classification and the recognition of “legitimate” beauty have tangible impacts on social matters such as access to employment, marriageability, perceptions of education, civilization, decency, and purity. KEYWORDS: US Latino, Latin America, Latinidad, Ideal Beauty, Popular Culture. __________________________ Angela Student’s Marie Signature Postigo ________April 7, 2016_____ Date CONSUMING THE IMAGE: HIERARCHIES OF BEAUTY AND POWER IN US LATINO, COLOMBIAN, AND DOMINICAN CULTURAL PRODUCTIONS By Angela Marie Postigo _______________________________ Director of Dissertation _____________ ______ Director of Graduate Studies ________April 7, 2016___________ Date To my Mother, Lou Ann Rhodes, who is my biggest fan, and to my Father, Abel Gonzales, who has always believed in me. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS This doctoral dissertation would not have been completed without the guidance, support, patience, and love of others. I am especially grateful to have the Dissertation Committee that I do because every member has made an impact on my life and to my intellectual development at the University of Kentucky. First, my dissertation chair, Dr. Susan Carvalho, who not only supported and guided me through every step of this study, but also exemplifies the quality scholarship and professor to which I aspire. Dr. Susan Larson, who was DGS when I was accepted, and whose kind and encouraging words influenced my decision to attend the University of Kentucky – in addition, her influence in my decision to include 20th – 21st century Spanish Literature as an area of discipline. Dr. Biglieri, with whom I took one of my first classes and who took the time to go over my final paper with me word for word. Dr. M. Cristina Alcalde, who inspired me to focus on gender and Latin America and whose input and suggestions as my second reader further enhanced my final work. And Dr. Lance Brunner whose expertise in music is a great contribution to this work. On a personal level, the support and love of my family has been crucial to me achieving this degree. My parents have not only supported me in life, but have also encouraged me to become everything I ever dreamed of being, especially a PhD. In the midst of finishing my degree, I met my husband, Hernan A Postigo, who completes me and who gave me a daughter, Briana Amaris, who has made all of this worth it. Lastly, without the help of my Mother, my sister Cynthia, and Diane I could not otherwise be simultaneously mom and scholar. iii TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgement………………………………………………………………iii List of Figures……………………………………………………………...………..…..v Chapter 1: Introduction…………………...……………………………….…… 1 Chapter 2: Exótica es la palabra: Hypersexualization and Imagery of Latina and Latin American Bodies in Cultural Productions…….……………...…29 Chapter 3: Accesorios grandes y poderosos: Consumption of Luxury Goods and Ideals of Glamour and Beauty…………………………...……….…...89 Chapter 4: Cuerpo perfecto desde todos los ángulos: Cosmetic Surgery and the Age Factor…………………………………………………………....179 Chapter 5: Conclusion………………………………………………………..250 Works Cited………………………………………………………...,…...…..256 Curriculum Vitae………………………….....................................................261 iv LIST OF FIGURES Figure 2.1. Cover of Vanidades September 2010 Issue....................................................….34 Figure 2.2. Headshot Jolie…………………………..37 Figure 2.3. Jolie 2………………………….………..38 Figure 2.4. Advertisement Sidral Mundet Light Eve 2010……………………………………..41 Figure 3.1. Cover of A la Moda 2011 Issue……...…93 Figure 3.2. Model Keratina Brazilian Formula Advertisement……………………….…98 Figure. 3.3. Vitaly Advertisemnt………………...…101 Figure 3.4. HK Derm Advertisement…………...…102 Figure 3.5. La Aplandadora Advertisement….…....103 Figure. 3.6. Dress Lab Advertisement……...………105 Figure. 3.7. Maxi-falda Advertisement………...…..107 Figure 3.8. Cover Cosmopolitan for Latinas 2012 Issue.......................................................110 Figure 3.9. Section Cultura Clash……………….....115 Figure 3.10. Fit for a Queen Advertisement…….......117 Figure 3.11. Stylista Section……………..…….……118 Figure 4.1. Almased Advertisement…………….…187 Figure 4.2. Slim Flash Advertisement……...….….189 Figure 4.3. Bosom Max Advertisement…...............191 Figure 4.4. Forma Vital Advertisement…………..196 Figure. 4.5. Medicina Estética Advertisemen….….197 v CHAPTER 1 Introduction Despite notions that “beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” indisputable social standards for female physical attractiveness persist. The focus on the Latina and Latin American female body within popular culture has developed a clear obsession with “appearance” – whether it be physical (race, body type and characteristics) or conceptual (national preference). The present study will explore the ways in which body image is an aspect of identity, and how that identity can be shaped through the influence of cultural productions.

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