This article examines how societal norms, cultural values, and societal strains shape body care practices within Poland’s cisgender nonheterosexual community. Using Esther Rothblum’s biculturality theory as a foundation, the study explores the influence of class, societal homophobia, and Catholic-influenced gender norms on daily routines, hygiene, adornment, and identity expression. It investigates how these practices reflect societal trends, navigate heteronormative expectations, and intersect with socio-economic and gendered pressures, particularly for working-class LGBTQ+ women. The article draws on an ethnographic study of 21 cisgender nonheterosexual couples in Poland, incorporating participant observations and over 120 thematic interviews. It introduces sociocultural embodiment as a new concept, building on Rothblum’s biculturality framework to explore how localized cultural and systemic forces uniquely influence intimate daily practices and identity negotiations in non-Western contexts. By situating body care practices within Polish sociocultural realities, the study emphasizes the need for geographically informed approaches to LGBTQ+ research. Sociocultural embodiment contributes to embodiment studies by demonstrating how systemic pressures, cultural norms, and subcultural strategies influence self-presentation and identity formation. This work advances global understanding of LGBTQ+ body experiences through a focus on localized dynamics.
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