A tool for change

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When you think of social media, what comes to mind? There’s increasingly more and more people that think of social media as ‘toxic’ to society and a tool used to brainwash our minds. Take Australian model Essena O’Neil, who took the internet by storm this year with her ‘social media meltdown’; deleting most of her Instagram content and replacing captions of selfies with comments she felt represented the situation in a more honest light. Social media can definitely be unhealthy in some aspects, but are we focusing too much on the negatives, and ignoring the individuals who are using social media as a tool for change?

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Fifteen year old Jazz Jennings uses Instagram just like any other teenage girl, the difference is she was born male. Jennings has openly discussed issues surrounding her gender identity since the age of six, and remains one of the youngest trans-gender advocates today. With over 200 thousand followers on Instagram, and over 190 thousand youtube subscribers, Jazz is reaching out to young people around the world who wouldn’t usually be exposed to the issue of transgenderism. By discussing what it means to be a trans teen, Jazz Jennings is increasing the visibility of the transgender community in a big way, enlightening more people and hopefully contributing towards a society more aware and accepting of gender issues. Her Instagram presence is also allowing more young people battling issues with their own gender to feel that there’s a community of people just like them, and inspiring others to share their own stories.

Body confidence is a huge issue when it comes to social media. With the amount of celebrities and models posting heavily edited photographs of themselves, and the ease of filters to rid yourself of imperfections, there’s no question that Instagram can be a sure fire self esteem killer. Look around a bit, though, and you’ll find that more and more individuals are using social media to promote body diversity. Nadia Aboulhosn, for instance, is a blogger, designer and model who’s using her Instagram profile to contribute towards body confidence and self-appreciation. Nadia’s feed consists of selfies and outfit posts flaunting her size 16 figure, and she pays no attention to ‘rules’ that restrict how people should dress in accordance with their size. Nadia has stated that she doesn’t like to use the term ‘plus sized’ as she feels it separates people, wanting girls of all sizes to feel that it’s okay to be the way you are, and that no size is better than another.

It’s not just gender issues and body image diversity that’s being voiced over social media; race issues are being brought to attention, with teen hunger games actress Amanda Stenberg speaking out about cultural appropriation. Sternberg is using her high status to shine a light on issues that aren’t often brought to attention. Her youtube video, ‘Don’t Cash Crop On My Cornrows’ highlights the issues surrounding how white mainstream celebrities and musicians use the history of black hairstyles and hip hop in a stylised way, such as wearing their hair in cornrows or braids, without respecting the culture and understanding the background.

Stenberg raises the question “what would America be like if we loved black people as much as we love black culture?” and has been praised for her ability to effectively explain cultural appropriation in just under five minutes.

In the age of social media and technology, it’s safe to say that lots of young women are utilising social media channels as a way to reach the masses, and in doing so, becoming ambassadors of social change and the equality movement. Instead of endorsing the latest plumping lipgloss or weight loss juice, these individuals are making the most of their high following by promoting empowerment and creating a more socially aware generation overall.

- Amy Jackson