Aesthetics Beyond The Class: A Study Of The Aesthetic Labor Process Of Female Migrant Workers In Beauty Industry ——Take E Beauty Salon In X City As An Example

With the advent of the brand economy and the era of great aesthetics,the body has become a necessary condition for the employment of female workers in the "beauty industry".The modern beauty industry is fully fascinated by the youthful,sexy body,which can be regarded as the key to happiness.In this situation,female workers are required to strictly manage their bodies.It ' s "aesthetic labor".Previous studies on the western sociology area,because of serving the needs of the middle class,employers usually hire workers who are also middle class,and use their inherent aesthetics to cater to the middle class.However,in China's service labor market,employers are more inclined to hire migrant workers from lower social classes.Therefore,this study try to investigate and analyze the aesthetic labor of female migrant workers in China's labor market.This research takes E Beauty Salon as a field point,which one of the largest beauty clubs in X City.Using participatory observation method and semi-structured interview method,takes labor process theory as an analytical framework,and combines localized situation to explore female migrant workers engaged in aesthetic labor.The study is to analyze the aesthetic labor of female migrant workers in the early,middle and late stages,as well as the intervention of capital forces.On this basis,to understand the specific representation of the "beauty" of female service providers in the Chinese labor market.This research mainly has three findings: First,"judging people by appearance" provides an important criterion for capital managers to choose the labor.Managers regard the appearance and body shape of services' important professional skills,and limit the appearance standards and thresholds for aesthetic labor.Secondly,in order to achieve the purpose of aesthetic,the female migrant labor union transforms the body with the aesthetic orientation favored by middle-class women in the daily work field,transforms to the physical state of the "ideal other",and completes the performance pressure of beauty salons.And realize self-involvement in aesthetic labor.Finally,the original aesthetic viewpoints and value system of female migrant workers can be clashed by urban middle-class women.During this process,some female migrant workers can actively accepted the difference between the two class.Some female migrant workers choose to seek themselves and relieve pressure by retaliating sloppy and immersing in “local” culture.By the way,after engaging in aesthetic work,their consumption behavior and concept of marriage can be impacted,and finally falls into the confusion of future development.