Taboos Made Visible: Exploring Bodily Performance and Narrative in Women's Health Science Communication Short Videos

Abstract

Research on female health science communication on short video platforms has often been limited to exploring the content and form of dissemination, with less attention paid to the connections between the body, media, and society in women's physical health. This study employs performance theory and media visibility theory, using TikTok as a case study. By applying content analysis and in-depth interviews, it categorizes the forms of bodily performance in female health science communication, examines the relationships between self, body, and society reflected in these performances, and analyzes the social and media shaping mechanisms underlying women's health perceptions and body concepts.Through sorting and summarizing, the study finds that body performance in women’s health science communication on short video platforms significantly influences women's health perceptions; it empowers more women to take control of their bodies, recognize and value their bodies comprehensively, and enjoy them fully; it also promotes greater visibility of women's health topics in social media platforms, households, and public spaces.