Gender and Consumer Well-Being

The intersection of gender and consumer well-being has long been of interest to scholars. The purpose of this chapter is to provide an overview of research at the intersection of gender and consumer well-being. Research overwhelmingly demonstrates that traditional gender role stereotypes are detrimental to consumer well-being, particularly for women. For example, idealized imagery (e.g., thin ideal) and sexually objectifying images in the media result in lowered self-perceptions among women and perpetuate attitudes of sexual harassment and sexual violence. However, research on the impact of traditional gender role stereotypes on consumer well-being for men is limited and deserves attention among scholars. Furthermore, gender research has primarily focused on gender as a binary and oftentimes conflates biological sex with gender, which can be harmful. Research shows that LGBTQ+ representation is lacking and that LGBTQ+ consumers are likely to experience social isolation and other mental health issues. The chapter concludes with directions for future research and policy recommendations.