By Julia T.
Social media has taken over our generation over the past few years, first starting with MySpace and Facebook, eventually leading to modern-day Instagram and Tiktok. Back in the day posts were simple, like an average day meal, blurry pictures with friends, or the hike you went on. Now, however, social media is a bit more complicated than that.
Social media influencers have taken over all the apps, posting their picture-perfect lives and flawless selves. These influencers may be promoting a certain brand from sponsors, like makeup products, or clothing items, or promote a particular lifestyle, which gets them lots of views and lots of followers. Many young girls have taken an exceeding liking to these influencers, viewing them as role models or mentors to how they should be living their lives. Overall social media influencers have significantly impacted our society from taking over online culture to taking over our own realities.
So what does this mean for the younger generation? They all have access to some sort of digital device, and whether these interactions online are positive or negative, they will always have an impact. In past generations, celebrities had the power to influence and were looked up to. But now in today’s age, social media influencers have more engagement and control because anyone and everyone has access to their content.
Young girls are the most impacted by this exposure and this has always been the case, simply just because females are pushed the most to use beauty enhancing products, be fit and skinny, always look their best, etc. The only difference now is instead of looking at beautiful women in a magazine, there is an infinite amount of content to scroll through at their fingertips. And when these girls are going through puberty and finding their self-identity, this content can have a far more negative impact rather than a positive one.
According to an article written by Dr. Jennifer McEwan, “Influencers can have a huge impact on what teens want to look like, do, and what they talk about with each other.” Comparing themselves to the seemingly perfect images, perfect bodies, and perfect faces, it can be highly overwhelming and crushing to one’s self-esteem. However, many of these ‘perfect’ influences have perfected the craft of photoshop to enhance their photos, yet young girls are not going to understand this concept and think it is what is expected of them.
Some of the most famous and impactful influencers on social media are the notorious Kardashian family. Since Kim Kardashian’s online scandal, and their take over of television with “Keeping Up With the Kardashians,” this group of sisters has some of the highest following counts, with the most likes, and most shared content. They have simultaneously taken control of all the latest trends to keep up, and these trends are even controlling what women do with their bodies, like makeup products, clothing, and even cosmetic surgery to achieve the Kardashian look.
It is also no secret the Kardashians have had cosmetic surgery performed on them to achieve their specific look; big butts and boobs, big lips, fillers, etc. Other influencers have taken on this look according to the Los Angeles Times, “And looking like Kardashian is no longer just a very expensive hobby — it’s becoming a business. Influencer marketing agencies claim that brands seeking influencer support for product launches or to raise awareness that can’t afford the real thing now have their pick when it comes to Kardashian-esque types.”
Many girls are now striving for this specific look and body type from not only the Kardashians but other influencers that manage the Kardashian type aesthetic, so even if you don’t know the Kardashians, we are all still being influenced by them. They are the source.
In February 2021, the internet blew up in controversy due to a Skims photo shoot with all the Kardashian sisters. Skims is a fashion wear line co-founded by Kim Kardashian that promotes loungewear, swimwear and underwear, which has become a booming industry for the family because of how much social media coverage it has.
The five sisters were having this photoshoot while posting it on their Instagram stories, possibly trying to promote the brand more. Specifically, Kendall Jenner posted a mirror selfie wearing a red lingerie set, and of course, her body looked what people would call perfect. Within a matter of minutes, Twitter blew up with tweets on how the photos were triggering body insecurities for some and accusing Kendall of photoshop.
One quote tweet from user Taylor Muir tweeted, “Idk who needs to hear this but stop comparing yourself to Kendall Jenner- she has money, surgery, lighting, photographers, editors, nutritionists, personal trainers, makeup artists, etc. You have an iPhone camera. She looks unreal but that’s her job.”
Twitter users remained to argue back and forth either defending Jenner’s picture from the usage of photoshop or stating her usage of this photoshop is producing unhealthy body image ideology for girls and women everywhere. Jenner’s response to the accusations was, “I am an extremely lucky girl. Appreciative of all I have. But I want you to know I have bad days too and that I hear you! You are beautiful just the way you are!!! It’s not always as perfect as it may seem.”
The impact of this certain situation is clear, one photo impacted many people on social media. Some had negative experiences interacting with the photo and some of Jenner’s fans came to defend it and promote body image positivity. It can never be totally proven if Kendall Jenner did use photoshop to enhance the photo, but either way it created an uproar in the Twitter community. The question is, will this topic of body image surrounding social media influencers continue to affect users at such an extreme level in the future or will the discussion eventually die down.