Western media globalization is implicated in the spread of the thin body ideal to
traditional societies. Qatar—a small conservative Middle-Eastern country—has recently witnessed
rapid Westernization, but the influence of Western media icons on women’s body image dissatisfaction
has rarely been studied here. A 2 (celebrity or model) × 3 (thin, average, or heavy) plus a control
condition between-subject experiment tested the primary hypothesis that exposure to images of thin
Western models or celebrities promotes a thinner body ideal compared to neutral images. A sample
of young women (n = 1145) was randomly assigned to experimental images as part of an online
survey. After exposure to images, participants rated their current and desired body size and shape,
reported celebrity liking, and evaluated their favorite celebrity’s body. We found little support for
the desire of thinness. Viewing thin- and average-sized celebrities was significantly associated with
desiring a heavier and a thinner look (respectively) among those favoring thin celebrities. Images
of thin models induced the desire for a curvaceous body figure with hips especially among those
favoring celebrities with hips. The findings highlight important nuances in the influence of Western
media icons on body image among women in a non-Western culture