Blog 3: Gender Roles: Body Acceptance.

    The social contract of modest dressing in Morocco and other Muslim countries is something I grappled with for almost the entire duration of our trip. I felt that it was too hot to wear so many clothes, or that it was an impingement on my own bodily autonomy and freedoms, and a relic of a patriarchal society. While some of these things may have some relevance and truth to them, I had also only skimmed the surface of the other functions of the style of dress. 

   The first thing I realized was that the long sleeves and pants, as well as a hijab or scarf, also function as effective sun protection. You don't have to wear sunscreen if your skin isn't exposed in the first place. The most poignant aspect, however, was the effect dressing in such a manner had on my relationship with my body. Within the United States, there has been a recent pushback on the movement termed with "body positivity", as Ozempic and other semaglutide cocktails become available for mass-market use. In Western societies where we are able to show as much or as little of our bodies as we would like, we are constantly faced with the reflections of our own appearance, as well as others around us. For individuals already struggling with negative body image, it can be difficult to exist in this space without avoiding comparisons or feelings of inferiority based on a strict beauty ideal. 

   The United States also boasts highly inflated rates of obesity, with adults sitting at prevalence of 40.3%, and children and adolescents at 21.1% (American Hospital Association, 2026). In contrast, while faced with rising rates of obesity, the current adult rate is 13.8%, much lower than that of the USA. This is mostly tied to differences in lifestyle and diet, but there are more similarities than differences when it comes to the attitudes surrounding body perception. A study from the Review of Epidemiology and Public Health done on Moroccan students delves into these differences: for BMI status of the students surveyed, 16.7% were classified as underweight, 72% as normal weight, 8.1% overweight, and 3.2% obese. While these statistics seem relatively normal for a representative population, the most shocking statistic comes with the realization that 40.3% of respondents had an inaccurate perception of their own weight status. Only 30.2% of the students were satisfied with their current body image. (Boutahar et al., 2019)

   I synthesized these statistics with my own experiences in Morocco, specifically in the Hammam. Wearing loose, modest clothing and being around other women dressed similarly removed the bulk of concentration on my own body as well of those of others, even though I regard myself to have a pretty good relationship with my body image. Inside the Hammam, there are women of all shapes and sizes, and no one is looking at each other in any sort of way conducive to comparison. It is simply a relaxation ritual, one that is sacred enough as to pass over trivial perceptions of the body. I found it highly comforting to be surrounded by other women existing in their natural state, and it was overall a positive experience for me. While others may not have the same feelings of acceptance, I felt that the practices I experienced while in Morocco were beneficial for my relationship with my physical body. 

I can't upload photo I am going to try on my phone 

Boutahar, K., Chetoui, A., Kaoutar, K., Najimi, M., Chigr, F. (2019) Anthropometric status and body image perception among Moroccan university students. Revue d'Epidemiologie et de Sante Publique. 67(5). Elsevier. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0398762019304341#sec0065

American Hospital Association. 2026. CDC finds record-high obesity rates for children, teens, as adults have slight decline.  https://www.aha.org/news/headline/2026-02-26-cdc-finds-record-high-obesity-rates-children-teens-adults-have-slight-decline