Over the past years, a strong stigma has grown around the use of social media. Teenagers are exposed to numerous influencers in the most impressionable years of their lives. Social media can create insecurities among teenagers due to unattainable standards of appearance; however, certain influencers are working to discard the unhealthy mindset of comparison instilled in younger audiences.
“Social media definitely ruins one’s perception of body image. Over the past few years, we’ve made it normal to scroll on our phones for hours, seeing hundreds of other people’s bodies, faces, and lives. It’s so hard for people — let alone young people — to try not to compare their bodies to someone else’s,” content creator Spencer Barbosa said.
With creators such as Spencer Barbosa taking over media platforms, social media’s history of damaging teenagers’ mental health is now being acknowledged. Countless content creators are using their platforms in progressive ways in an attempt to teach self-love and acceptance.
“I want to just inspire people to live their best life, and at the same time I want to be able to share the life that I’m living and loving—and do it in a way that is inspiring other people to do the same,” content creator Lexi Hidalgo said. “To trust their gut, trust their intuition and chase their dreams. And it’s so cheesy for me to say it all out loud, but that really is the goal. That’s all I’ve really ever really wanted to do.”
Hidalgo’s morals and goals transfer onto her younger audience, inspiring them to live a more positive lifestyle. Her platform has expanded beyond TikTok, impacting many fans’ lives. Opening up a phone to uplifting content is refreshing when scrolling through the constant negative comparisons within social media.
“Lexi has just altogether made me want to be a better person. She really keeps me grounded and her content is always uplifting and refreshing to find when I’m on my phone,” said an anonymous Walpole High School student.
Social media has a reputation for destroying teenagers’ self-images, especially regarding their body types. Content creators like Hidalgo and Barbosa strive to change any self-doubt that content consumers have about themselves. Along with teaching self-love, Barbosa’s platform in particular is used to spread beliefs in authenticity and following your dreams. Barbosa felt as though a vital role was missing in her childhood, which she hopes to fulfill for future generations to come.
“I’ve always wanted to become the person I didn’t have—but really needed—when I was younger. I saw that ‘reality’, ‘body image,’ ‘self-love’ and ‘embracing your flaws’ videos were missing on the internet, so I filled that gap myself,” Barbosa said.
With all the efforts in place to improve younger audiences’ views on self-image, content creators are looking for a shift in the way younger generations view themselves through the use of social media. Social media has been feeding into unrealistic views and expectations for years now; regardless, with an emergence of body positivity encouragement, society can further away from the stigma of social media.
