Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
Journal of Gender Studies, 2026 (SSCI, Scopus)
Disciplining the body is the responsibility of individuals in today’s societies, where individualization is in the foreground. Therefore, obesity has been evaluated as a lack of control and irresponsibility. Ideal body images presented by the media and the fear of obesity can lead to body dissatisfaction, particularly among women. Obese individuals who cannot control their bodies are stigmatized as unhealthy and may be ostracized. Overweight individuals deviating from the norms determined by society may resort to any means to transform their bodies into ‘normal’ bodies. In recent years, sleeve gastrectomy has been seen as an option for getting the perfect body. This study aims to explore the experiences of individuals who have undergone sleeve gastrectomy and feel socially ostracized due to weight stigma. Adopting the phenomenological research design, online interviews were conducted with 20 participants, including 12 women and eight men, using the snowball sampling technique. The research revealed that the main reason for participants opting for surgery was the unsuccessful experiences of individual weight loss attempts and the resulting sense of helplessness. Overweight individuals, not aligning with beauty standards, expressed their inability to engage in daily activities, leading to social and cultural ostracization.