‘Disabled and beautiful’: young women’s negotiations of beauty and body ideals

Research assessing the interaction between disability and feminine beauty ideals is scarce in the Global South. This research investigated how young Indian disabled women in India’s metropolises construct beauty, experience embodiment, and challenge received views on physical attractiveness. Data were collected from 10 young women using semi-structured interviews. The information gathered was analysed using Reflexive Thematic Analysis (RTA), informed by the feminist-disability studies framework. Findings indicated that the intersections of gender, disability, and culture significantly influenced participants’ experiences. Participants’ bodies were scrutinised in intrusive ways, creating anxiety and self-doubt. However, their narratives were marked by resistance and the exercise of agency. As they grappled with beauty ideals, the women also came to appreciate what their bodies did. Appearance was not just about looking pretty, but a way of challenging reductive conceptions of disability. This study is an important step in understanding how disabled women reconceptualise dominant discourses on embodiment.