Gender Norms

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Social media has its way of narrowing down one’s identity to a list of what people believe to be normal or acceptable. No matter what a person identifies as, the internet finds a way to devalue their way of expressing themselves. Women all over the internet are subjected to various standards and norms, which lowers their self-esteem and makes them feel insecure about their unique qualities.

Often, men feel the need to express their opinions and wants about what a woman’s body and personality should look like. Things like body hair and acne are considered disgusting and unhygienic in today’s society, as well as stretch marks and an “unfavorable body type.” When women show these qualities, they are ridiculed and told to change the way they look for the sake of other people approving them. Instead of appreciating who they are and learning to love themselves, the internet makes women the victim of its hateful commentary.

Aside from how a woman’s body looks, social media is rather opinionated on the way they dress. A woman may choose to wear clothing that is considered masculine and they would be told they shouldn’t wear such clothing and how it isn’t feminine. Yet, if they wear femenine clothing, it all depends on whether or not they show too much skin on the internet.

Instead of having free will to express themselves how they want, many young girls are told to shave, to put on some makeup, to lose weight, to buy trendy clothing, all so they could feel more beautiful and acceptable in society. These young girls on social media lose their sense of self and their childhood by feeling “ugly” and “disgusting” in the way they look, so they look for ways to change it. By following social media standards on how women should act and look, girls grow up to think they could truly “be a girl” by doing whatever social media tells them to. 

However, no matter what social media tells you what to wear or how to act, you should always express yourself freely. If you have acne, body hair, or any other natural features, it’s important to know that those features are beautiful and important to embrace. You should feel comfortable in acting and dressing how you like, even if people on the internet tell you it’s “not right” or it “looks weird.” Gender norms on social media are extremely toxic and damaging to one’s self esteem, especially for young women who begin to change themselves to be like a doppelgänger of someone on social media rather than embracing their unique personality and features.