Culture

Does the Outdoor Industry Perpetuate Whiteness? An Examination of Colorism with Athleisure and Outdoor Brands Instagram Posts

Authors
  • NIgel AR Joseph (Washington State University)
  • Jihyeong Son (Washington State University)
  • Vicki McCracken (Washington State University)

Abstract

This paper pursued an empirical investigation of diversity on Instagram by exploring the theoretical underpinnings on Instagram. We collected data through an intercept survey conducted at a predominately white United States university. The survey was administered to 109 individuals (the mean age was 22.4 +/- 3.9 years, 39.4% were PoC, 53.2% were female and 44.0% were male. Collectively the research finding suggests that social dominance and colorism may be prevalent in on Instagram, especially within categories that uphold stereotypes, perceptions, and biases about ethnicities and races of their consumers, such as the outdoor industry. 

Keywords: Colorism, intergroup social dominance

How to Cite:

Joseph, N. A., Son, J. & McCracken, V., (2019) “Does the Outdoor Industry Perpetuate Whiteness? An Examination of Colorism with Athleisure and Outdoor Brands Instagram Posts”, International Textile and Apparel Association Annual Conference Proceedings 76(1). doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/itaa.10231

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Published on
15 Dec 2019