This post highlights the work required of my SA 202: Introduction to Anthropology students. Students were given the opportunity to explore a different culture through two lenses, cultural relativism and ethnocentrism, and through this exercise learn about themselves and the other culture. Several students were given the opportunity to have their exemplary work featured on the blog, and the students who provided permission have their work featured here in this and the following blog posts. Please show your appreciation for their work through the comments.
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| Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher unwittingly entered into a bathing controversy after their interview on Dax Shepard's podcast (Image Source: PerezHilton.com) |
By: Kristin Oliver
Every person, family, and culture has their own beliefs and ways of doing things. These beliefs and practices are generationally passed through common practice, leading to unique cultural practices among individuals and groups of people. Cultural relativism and ethnocentrism can change how someone may perceive another's practices and ideas. As we read about Kunis and Kutcher's hygiene practices, we are applying cultural relativism and ethnocentrism, whether you realize it or not. Each time you relate to, judge, or understand someone else's beliefs, you are applying cultural relativism or ethnocentrism. Americans may judge Kunis and Kutcher's hygiene practices, as they do not follow a typical American's unwritten rule of bathing daily for hygienic purposes. Others may understand the different cultural backgrounds they come from and how their practices follow what they have been taught. In this writing, I will summarize two articles on Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher’s bathing practices; I will then define ethnocentrism and cultural relativism and state how it is used within the articles I was given; finally, I will give my reactions to these practices and apply them to cultural relativism and ethnocentrism. This paper is focused on both ethnocentric and culturally relativistic views and how they are established within today's American society and how they play a role with hygienic standards.
In their articles on Upworthy.com and ENews Tod Perry and Mike Vulpa write about Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher's views on bathing themselves and their children, and their reasoning behind their practices. Perry says during Mila Kunis' childhood she did not have hot water, which resulted in her not showering daily. Kunis did say, "But I wash pits and tits and holes and soles," while Kutcher commented on only using soap regularly on his "armpits and crotch." Kutcher and Kunis' practices have been passed to their children with the rule: "If you can see the dirt on 'em, clean 'em, otherwise, there's no point." Their hygiene practices are not typical of the average American's, but science suggests children in their early life benefit from exposure to germs. On the other hand, Vulpa says, 2025 TikTok videos have promoted multi-step shower routines to utilize on a daily basis. These routines counter Kutcher and Kunis' practices by the inclusion of "not only soap," but "exfoliating and cleansing on a daily basis." Cardi B and Bethany Frankel both negatively comment on Kunis and Kutcher's practice, essentially saying it is not something they would do or agree with (Perry 2025 and Vulpa 2021). These articles look at both culturally relativistic and ethnocentric views on bathing and hygiene.
As described by Welsch, Vivanco, and Fuentes in Anthropology: Asking Questions About Human Origins, Diversity, and Culture, ethnocentrism is "assuming our way of doing things is correct, while simply dismissing other peoples' assumptions as wrong or ignorant." (Anthropology 2025, p.13-14). An ethnocentric approach to Mila Kunis and Ashton Kutcher's bathing and hygiene practices is to say they are irresponsible and not acting culturally acceptably in America, where showering or bathing regularly is expected. Passing their unhygienic practices onto their children may be looked at as unhealthy and disgusting. Kunis and Kutcher's practices teach "bad" hygiene, and they are spreading and collecting germs, likely to make them sick more easily. Within the culture we live in, it is very common to look down upon those who do not shower or bathe daily. One of the celebrities that commented on Kutcher and Kunis' hygiene habits was Bethany Frankel, and she said, "Is it ok if I admit that my daughter bathing daily is a firm rule in my house?" (Vulpa 2021). This shows how Frankel thinks Kunis and Kutcher are wrong with their hygiene practices. This ethnocentric approach looks at America's "normal" culture and daily hygienic practices, judging the fact, Kutcher and Kunis do not fit into the proper American standards.
On the other hand, Welsch, Vivanco, and Fuentes (Anthropology 2025, p.10-11) describe cultural relativism as "the moral and intellectual principle that one should seek to understand cultures on their own terms and withhold judgement about seemingly strange or exotic beliefs and practices.". A culturally relativistic approach may describe that Kutcher and Kunis have a personal approach to their standards and practices on daily bathing and hygiene due to cultural and personal beliefs. Perry describes the culture Kunis grew up in, saying that she did not have hot water, therefore she did not shower daily. Perry says their practices may not be average, but science suggests children benefit from early exposure to germs (Perry 2025). Their decision to only bathe their children when they are physically dirty reflects their thoughts on germ exposure and building the immune system. With this culturally relativistic approach, instead of immediately seeing Kunis and Kutcher's approach on hygiene as wrong because they differ from "The American Way", we should recognize that every culture has different ideas and practices on bathing and hygiene.
I can see both culturally relativistic and ethnocentric points of view on this topic about Kunis and Kutcher's bathing practices. My immediate ethnocentric thoughts were "that is disgusting,” "they should clean themselves daily," and "they should teach their children proper hygiene." My thoughts were purely based off my own practice growing up in America, where I shower daily with soap. I began by judging their practices based on what I was taught and grew up doing. My immediate culturally relativistic thoughts were not to judge another person, and what they choose to do before I learn more about their background and beliefs. I recognize that different people from different cultures and people can have different thoughts and ideas on what cleanliness and hygiene are.
Works Cited
Perry, T. (2025, December 10). Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis admit they rarely bathe their kids, or themselves. Upworthy. https://www.upworthy.com/ashton-mila-
bathing-their-kids-ex1/
Vulpa, M. (2021, August 9). The Bathing Debate: Where Hollywood Stands After Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis' Confession. ENews. https://www.eonline.com/news/1297642/the-bathing-debate-where-hollywood-
stands-after-ashton-kutcher-and-mila-kunis-confession
Welsch, R. L., Vivanco, L. A., & Fuentes, A. (2025). Part I The Anthropological PerspectiveVersion (Enhanced E-Book). In Anthropology Asking Questions About Human Origins, Diversity, and Culture (Third Edition, pp. 9–12). Oxford University Press. Retrieved September 2, 2026, from https://read.na1.kortext.com/reader/epub/210812?hash=11fff383.
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