The Gendered Desirability And Acceptance Of Body Enhancement In Ahodwo, Kumasi, Ghana

Abstract Body enhancement is increasingly visible in urban Ghana, yet little qualitative research has asked how it is judged differently for men and women. This study examines the desirability and social acceptance of body enhancement among men and women in Ahodwo, Kumasi. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 25 participants, including residents and key informants such as a fitness trainer, cosmetic vendors and a health professional, and the data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis within an interpretivist phenomenological design. Media reports on Ghanaian public figures were used to contextualise the interview findings. Acceptance depended on both gender and the type of enhancement. Participants described women who pursue cosmetic and body-shaping practices, including skin lightening, contouring and augmentation, as meeting with approval, while men who did the same risked ridicule and stigma. Gym-based muscularity was readily accepted in men, but women who became visibly muscular were seen as masculine. Participants also described stigma, concealment, social exclusion and perceived career penalties for visible enhancement, alongside growing tolerance of male grooming. Interpreted through Social Constructionism, Feminist Theory and Hegemonic Masculinity, the findings show that acceptance depends on how an enhancement practice fits prevailing expectations of masculinity and femininity. The study points to the need for gender-sensitive public health messaging and beauty-industry practice in Ghana.