Body, Erotic Capital, and Union Resistance in Spain

Abstract

[EN]Today’s societies place heightened pressure on physical appearance, ranging from the way we dress to the expectation of slimness, particularly for women. Deviating from increasingly globalized beauty standards can lead to stigmatization in various social spheres, adding to the gender disparities women face. The manifestation of this pressure on aesthetic appearance in the workplace varies by across gender lines: while men may be required to be neat and clean and to follow a dress code, women often face more stringent bodily requirements, especially in jobs involving public exposure. These differences must be kept in mind throughout this chapter, which discusses research findings on labor exploitation and aesthetic impositions on the body, proposing practical proposals for union action to combat various forms of body discrimination at work.