许多研究都表明，容貌焦虑对女性的影响比男性更大，而且还会加剧性别不平等。本论文的目的是研究大中华地区女性的容貌焦虑问题，并且探讨其对性别平等的影响。本文以福柯的“驯服的身体”理论以及巴特基对女性身体和行为规范的讨论为理论框架。研究方法包括在台湾地区进行的田野调查以及对来自大中华区的受访者进行的半结构化访谈。作者还运用主题分析的方式分析了田野调查资料和访谈文本。田野调查和访谈显示，女性所面临的容貌焦虑明显高于男性。媒体、流行文化，以及身边人的看法使女性暴露在更大的外貌压力下。而容貌焦虑对女性的身心健康以及社会资源获取的方面都会产生负面的影响。女性还会经历基于外表的差别对待，从而面临更多的外貌竞争和比较。在结论部分，本文探讨了如何通过教育和媒体去减少容貌焦虑，从而促进性别平等。

Beauty standards have negative consequences for women and negatively impact gender inequality in Greater China. Considering that gender inequality persists in Greater China and the world over, this study provides a contribution to understand one of the underlying reasons of gender inequality. Foucault’s theory of docile bodies as well as Bartky’s application thereof and understanding of female bodies provide the theoretical framework of this study. The methodology included a field study in Taiwan as well as six semi-structured interviews with individuals from Greater China, which were analysed by thematic narrative analysis. The field study and interviews revealed that women experience significantly higher pressure to conform to beauty standards than men. Women are subsequently exposed to increased appearance pressure resulting from how they are perceived, influenced by comments and advertising amongst others. The pressure of beauty standards leads to negative changes in behaviour, attitude, well-being, access to and use of resources. As a result, women also experience differences in treatment, opportunities, and benefits based on their looks and are exposed to increased appearance-based competition and comparison. Before considering the study’s limitations, it discusses how advertising and education through media literacy programmes are of significant importance to mitigate the role of beauty standards.