About

Taranjot Kaur Dhillon (She/Her) is currently a PhD Candidate. Her work is grounded in a commitment to health equity, focusing on the complex and overlooked experiences of body image among South Asian women. Using intersectionality and feminist theory lenses and qualitative methodologies (i.e., participatory action research), she aims to amplify marginalized voices and facilitate culturally informed interventions. Her work looks to bridge gaps between academia and community, ensuring that knowledge mobilization leads to meaningful societal impact. Taranjot’s other areas of interest include body image and menopause, body image in racial and ethnic populations, community outreach and collaboration.

Her undergraduate background is in Kinesiology, the study of human movement. In continuing this work, she has teaching experience in yoga and group exercise (cardio, strength, mobility/balance) classes.

Taranjot’s Master’s research focused on body image and menopause in South Asian women in Canada. This research area has been highly under-researched, and findings, noted in her published peer-reviewed article, showed that destigmatizing body image and menopause in the South Asian community is important – These concepts should not be considered “taboo”. Women often focused on weight, body shape, thinness, and youth ideal. Most importantly, the impact and intersection of South Asian/Western cultures needs to be explored to gain further knowledge of how body image and menopause affects South Asian women living in Canada.

Taranjot’s doctoral work focuses on developing and accessing the effectiveness of a positive body image program for young adult South Asian women (18-30 years of age). This intervention will focus on centering the voices of South Asian women in the program design and creating a program that will used as a tool in further enhance and promote positive body image attitudes, behaviours, and practices.

While working on her research, Taranjot works closely with several community organizations, such as Big Brothers Big Sisters of Niagara – Mentoring for over 5 years. Laadliyan, Celebrating & Empowering Daughters is a non-profit organization she holds very near to her heart, they inspire South Asian girls and women of all ages to become empowered individuals through engagement, education and awareness. She’s been working with Founder Manvir Bhangu and her amazing staff and volunteers since 2022. They’ve worked together on bringing awareness to Gender-based violence in the community and South Asian research.