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The purpose of this study is to understand Black women’s recollection and representation of Saartjie Baartman in comparison to their own body image, while also aligning their interpretation of Baartman’s legacy through contemporary reflections of themselves and others. Interviews with 30 Black women in South Africa ( n = 15) and the United States ( n = 15) reveal that accurate knowledge and perceptions of Baartman’s experience varies; Baartman’s body is remembered as trope and ideal object to compare; however, Black women find resilience and positivity in Baartman’s story. These findings although some consistent with previous literature, some are inconsistent. Considering the Black women in this study did not thematically discuss experiencing dissatisfaction, self-objectification, or self-surveillance. It is important to recognize Black women’s perceptions of their bodies as resilient and positive rather than dissatisfied. This research provides important information for the furtherance of positive body image and Black women relative to the curvaceous ideal.

The purpose of this study is to examine the willingness and motivation to engage in body modification to attain an ideal body image from a crosscultural perspective of Black women in the United States and Black women in South Africa. Semi-structured interviews (n = 30) reveal that exercise is the most salient method of modification because it is inexpensive, promotes health and wellness, wards off familial health issues such as diabetes, and shapes the body to better fit clothing. Surgical methods are considered but, naturalness, costs, and potential health effects are viewed as deterrents. Both groups vary in terms of depicting what each group aspires to replicate through body modification. The findings in this article contribute to social comparison theory by expanding the theory and providing a lens for examining Black women's body modification.

Many Native American communities experience severe health inequalities, including shorter average lifespan and higher rates of chronic illnesses. Journalism that serves Native Americans is a promising channel for heath communication, but only if scholars first understand the particular cultural contexts of indigenous communities. This research contributes to that goal by investigating how journalists serving Native American communities characterize health and the issues they identify with covering determinants of health. In in-depth interviews (N = 24), journalists contrasted how they cover health issues as embedded in cultural context with shallow, more negative coverage by non-Native media organizations. Interviews also revealed a tension between "medical" and "cultural" models of health, contributing to the oversaturation of certain issues, like diabetes, while other health topics are underrepresented. The journalists also expressed how social determinants and histories of oppression shape health inequalities, illuminating the roles of historical trauma and the destruction of indigenous health beliefs and behaviors. Failure to recognize these issues could stymie efforts to communicate about health issues facing Native American audiences.

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