Impact Issue 261 on Identity

Page 32

32

IMPACT

THE INFLUENCER INFLUENCE

Melina explores how the opinions of celebrities shape our identity and influence our ideals.

Celebrity culture surrounds us: details of the most insignificant aspects of their lives aredocumented online and the public offer an accompanying commentary, often sharing their opinions on individuals whom they do not know. The reality is that we watch these people through a photoshopped lens, and then broadcast that image all over the internet, subsequently imposing that unrealistic presentation of humans on the consumer. Such focus on the lives of celebrities creates a culture determined by conformity, in which we move away from the celebration of diversity and individuality,and instead focus on a mostly unattainable goal. The popularity of interviewing as a means of understanding celebrities means that we are now able to witness intense probing into their personal and emotional lives. Manyindividuals use this for good, for example when Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone used their status to draw attention to the Worldwide Orphans organisation (http://wwo.org/) after being photographed at lunch in New York. Celebrities were also seen using their influence for good at the 2020 BAFTAs. Kate Middleton wore an old Alexander McQueen gown, and all were encouraged to re-wear outfits to make the event more sustainable.The academy aims for the EE British Academy Film Awards to be carbon neutral, and have even said that the red carpet itself is 100% recyclable, demonstrating the ability of these events to influence our environmental ideals. However, despite this encouraging movement, celebrities like Shailene Woodley have been known to share less progressive opinions, stating that she is not a feminist because she does not hate men. This received a lot of attention, yet all it showed was a dismissal of feminism as a man-hating movement. As a prominent figure in young adult movies, her misinformation could be extremely damaging. Celebrities can also use their platforms to endorse brands. For instance, Kim Kardashian endorsed ‘flat-tummy tea’, an unhealthy way to lose weight as it essentially works as a laxative. Much of her audience consists of young girls, and it is disappointing that she promotes a product of such nature rather than the truth: exercise and eating well. While there are many instances like this, presenting an unattainable image and negatively affecting those on the receiving end, other celebrities are in fact known for sharing their own body-image issues, showing people that they are not perfect and that no one should feel bad about themselves based on an unrealistic portrayal. Lady Gaga defended her ‘belly fat’, and Demi Lovato called out a journalist for insinuating that her weight was the most interesting thing about her. So, whilst social media, celebrity events and interviews have the ability to affect us “The key is to not get too negatively and move us away from embracing our caught up in the identities, there are individuals in the spotlight who do not buy into that, and who share their realities, photoshopped versions of which often mirror ours. The key is to not get too people online, and instead caught up in the photoshopped versions of people online, and instead learn to appreciate that no one is learn to appreciate that no perfect. one is perfect”

Melina Williams

Graphic by Chiara Crompton Page Design by Natasha Phang-Lee


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Articles inside

The Team

1min
pages 59-60

Identity in Sport

2min
page 58

What the Changing Popularity of Sports Says

2min
page 54

Homophobia in Football

5min
pages 56-57

The Guide to University Sport Stereotypes

2min
page 55

Music Industry Striking a Chord: Musicians that Aren’t Afraid to Change

2min
page 52

The Difference Between University Sport and College Sport

2min
page 53

The Dangers of Appropriating Culture in the

5min
pages 50-51

Artistic Licence vs. Cultural Appropriation

5min
pages 44-45

How Identity is Constructed in Fight Club

2min
page 47

A Soulful Reunion in the Middle East

2min
page 40

Places that Made Us: Student Life in Nottingham

2min
pages 42-43

What Does Your Subject Say About Your Typical Holiday?

3min
page 41

Bored of Beans on Toast?

2min
page 33

How Well do our Names Really Define us?

2min
page 26

The Science Behind Gender Identity

6min
pages 36-39

The Influencer Influence

2min
page 32

The Reality of Being Coeliac

5min
pages 34-35

My Body and Me

5min
pages 24-25

to Get into University The Toxicity of Toxic Masculinity

5min
pages 14-15

Tying Together the NOTTS of our Student Identity

2min
page 21

BAME Identity at University

2min
page 11

Does National Identity Have a Place in the

5min
pages 22-23

White British Working-Class Boys Least Likely

4min
pages 12-13

Are We Being Desensitised to Children Being

8min
pages 18-20

To Graduate, or not to Graduate, that is the

3min
pages 16-17

What Is It Like To Be Religious at University?

2min
page 10
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