Society today has become an unavoidable euphoria of scrolling, clicking, and watching. The foundation is morphed by a constant surplus of media that inevitably persuades thoughts and opinions. Whether it be the unavoidable burst of notifications on a phone, or simply ending a day with eyes glued to the television, media has changed the way humans’ brains operate and process information. Everything is produced with the goal of being sold and making a profit. With a mindset focused on creating desire, it is important to question what the “norm” has become for creating demand.
With the rapid uprising of TikTok’s popularity, media shown on the platform has become especially influential to the large population of young girls who use the app. From a young age, Gen Z has been fed a never-ending cycle of impossible-to-reach ideals that are supposedly the norm for the time. From everyone attempting to achieve Kim Kardashian’s perfect hourglass figure in the early 2000’s, to idolizing Bella Hadid’s stick figure frame today, the ideal will never actually be met.
A certain group that I believe has taken TikTok by storm, creators Halley Kate (@halleykate), Eli Rallo (@elirallo), Kensington Tillo (@kensnation), and of course the infamous Alix Earle (@alixearle), are morphing what kind of image is portrayed on social media platforms. Instead of posting fabricated content representing a certain ideal, they are using their platforms to produce real & relatable content.
Halley Kate talks about the stress of never having a boyfriend until her mid-twenties, Eli Rallo discusses the importance of being comfortable with yourself and exploring who you are, and Kensington Tillo spills about her past eating disorder and horrific dating experiences all while teaching how to achieve a killer makeup look, and Alix Earle has created social media history by somehow being glamorous and also just down-bad and hungover all at once. These creators are showing the duality of women. You can feel flawless while also feeling imperfect, and you can feel confident while also being deeply insecure. There is no direct norm that this generation has to confine themselves to.
A big reason these influencers have been able to rack up the more than 9 million followers they have combined is due to their relatability. It’s refreshing to see content that actually resonates with the viewer and sends out a message that it’s okay to not be perfect. They have created what I like to call the big sister effect. People go to their accounts for advice, comfort, and inspiration. They act as big sisters to the millions of girls watching their content.
Next time you scroll mindlessly through social media, I urge you to be mindful of what content you are being fed. Taking the right steps to fill your feed with creators who make you feel good is vital to sustaining an optimistic and healthy state of mind. The mentioned creators are joining the motion to portray a realistic perspective online, and I urge you to join the movement too.