TY - JOUR
T1 - "Your body is your business card"
T2 - Bodily capital and health authority in the fitness industry
AU - Hutson, David J.
N1 - Copyright:
Copyright 2013 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.
PY - 2013/8
Y1 - 2013/8
N2 - Although scholars have noted the connection between appearance and assumptions of health, the degree to which these assumptions matter for establishing authority in social interaction remains less clear. Using a theoretical framework involving "bodily capital"-that is, the value generated from appearance, attractiveness, and physical ability-I investigate the role of appearance in the U.S. fitness industry. Drawing on data from interviews with 26 personal trainers and 25 clients between 2010 and 2011, I find that a trainer's fit-appearing physique imbues their interactions with a degree of moral and health authority. This corporeal credibility engenders trust among clients and allows exercise to be understood as a form of health work. The implications for academics and medical practitioners reach beyond the gym setting and extend recent research linking appearance to health, authority, and medical credibility.
AB - Although scholars have noted the connection between appearance and assumptions of health, the degree to which these assumptions matter for establishing authority in social interaction remains less clear. Using a theoretical framework involving "bodily capital"-that is, the value generated from appearance, attractiveness, and physical ability-I investigate the role of appearance in the U.S. fitness industry. Drawing on data from interviews with 26 personal trainers and 25 clients between 2010 and 2011, I find that a trainer's fit-appearing physique imbues their interactions with a degree of moral and health authority. This corporeal credibility engenders trust among clients and allows exercise to be understood as a form of health work. The implications for academics and medical practitioners reach beyond the gym setting and extend recent research linking appearance to health, authority, and medical credibility.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.socscimed.2013.05.003
DO - 10.1016/j.socscimed.2013.05.003
M3 - Article
C2 - 23746610
AN - SCOPUS:84878994929
SN - 0277-9536
VL - 90
SP - 63
EP - 71
JO - Social Science and Medicine
JF - Social Science and Medicine
ER -