Self Image In The Media

Growing up in an age where social media is no longer seen as a want, but more as a need is tough for anyone. But no one has it harder than young girls.

It?s no secret that the world makes it seem like there?s only one way for a girl to succeed. Or that her personality is not enough. Social media can blind innocent young girls into a mentality that they are not good enough for society. For a place that from the outside looking in seems happy, it is quite the opposite.

Self-love is encouraged daily, even getting celebrities taking action against bullying. In a world where we already get enough said to our face, cyberbullying has become the new normal. Movies have been made on the topic, it?s now so bad that schools even suspend/expel students if they get caught doing so to other classmates. It?s become like second nature to see hate comments on any given post. How do we get the last laugh on these cyberbullies? Is there a way that we can get past them while online?

Self-deprecation is a form of humor that mainly exists so that we as people can make fun of ourselves before others can. For example, if your self conscious about your eyebrows, you can joke about it openly so others can?t hate on you for it and get the same satisfaction. It?s become more frequently used as time goes by because as time has gone, hate has become more normal and more frequent.

Millie Bobby Brown, most known for her role as Eleven in the Netflix hit series, ?Stranger Things?, posted a picture of her with bright red lipstick and short hair parted down the center. I looked to the comments and a lot were comparing the fourteen-year-old star saying she looked ?like a thirty-year-old woman? or an

old aunt, which is totally uncalled for. Millie is probably one of the biggest celebrities and at such a young age, she?s getting immense hate. Now think that if Millie can get comments like these, how hard is it for someone less popular?

Everywhere, young girls are trying to find themselves. Be themselves and somehow also fit in with everyone else. Share individuality but find a group for themselves. This is hard when there?s a huge double standard in the media.

Two of the hottest female rappers are a great example of this. Of course, I?m talking about Nicki Minaj and Cardi B. Love them or hate them, they?re always being put against each other and why? Because the media teaches us that there can only be one dominant female. If a male artist was compared to another male artist in his genre, it?d be disgraceful, but it happens to women DAILY! It seems so subtle at first. If your a fan of Cardi you can?t possibly be a fan of Nicki. If you listen to Nicki you can?t listen to Cardi. Rules like these are what drive women in the spotlight out of a career. Hating on an artist just for existing in a category with another artist is uncalled for.

Girls are given the mindset not to come together. That they need to be closed off from other girls. That other girls are ?snakes?. Why should girls empower each other in everyday life, if the women they look up to don?t do the same? That is the sad reality. Young teenagers prefer to listen to their idols than to what?s right.

Whether there?s a future where self love is as important as social media is currently, we can all aspire to be the next generation of leaderspreventing this kind of hate.