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Sierra Trimmer
Sociology 01
Professor Lookholder
May 6 2016
Impacts of Social Media
Social media is all over the world today, whether it be magazines, music, TV shows or
even ads. It is through social media that many problems arise. Although there are many problems
that could be identified, one of the most common problems among social media today is the
problem of women being so addicted to their weight that they are willing to go to extreme
measures to look like the models in social media. Through looking at social media it can be seen
that women are given a high expectation to be thin and have a flawless body shape which leads
to harmful body images that women feel they need to achieve to feel beautiful, but yet conflict
theorists believe that social media proposes the purpose of keeping people at these different
levels of views.
In order to feel beautiful social media makes it look as though if you do not look like one
of the models in social media, then you are not considered beautiful. An article written by both
Aubrey and Stevens states women who live in an objectifying culture learn to perceive and
describe themselves by their external traits rather than internal traits (51). To illustrate, this is
why there is such a problem with social media and women having such tremendous issues today.
Some of these issues include but are not limited to: eating disorders, high rates in suicide, and
self harm. Social media is having such a negative impact on women in todays world and it is
something that needs to be stopped. But because these ways are so drilled into everyday life it is
not something that is seen as out of the ordinary but is seen as commonplace. And because it is

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so commonplace this issue is not something that anyone plans on changing any time soon. With
a public so used to seeing retouched images in media any nonmodel body must necessarily be fundamentally flawed (Murphy). In
other words, seeing these almost fake bodies all over social media,
all the time has caused for this disappointing reality that if one does
not look like those in social media that they are not beautiful.
Although this is not the case and beauty is in the eye of the beholder,
since social media is seen absolutely everywhere in todays world it is
almost impossible to set aside these standards.
One of the most popular trends seen in social media is the thigh gap. In Lindseys article
she states that the inner thigh gap has become a trend with women and girls who believe that
having a space between their inner thighs while standing is considered ideal (Bever). The
conflict with this is that not every girl can have a thigh gap. Even skinny girls sometimes cannot
have a thigh gap. It is all due to ones bone structure. So this ideal that everyone is expected to
have this thigh gap is very unrealistic. Not that the other factors are realistic in media, but this is
the most widespread among media and one of the most controversial issues that can be seen
today.
Social media does not only cover magazines, it covers much more, including music that
most people listen to on a daily basis. An article states that rap artists must be made to recognize
that they hold a stake in the nation's future and that in order to serve their largest fan base-America's youth--they must stop nurturing its worst instincts (Alvargrena). In other words,
artists are another one of the leading influencers in society. Which makes it no surprise that
people tend to follow what they preach in their lyrics. Because society is so wrapped up on

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degrading women, anyone who wants to make it big in the music industry will follow these
degrading lyrics. The most popular genre of music currently is rap, in which is by far the worst
degrading of women out of all genres, which can be seen in the graph to the left.
Because rap is popular music in todays society its messages are also going to be popular.
It can be seen that the messages conveyed in rap music, messages which often encourage
regarding women as sexual objects and condone violence against women (Alvarenga). Again,
this popular social media is being seen to affect the music industry. Not only is it becoming
commonplace for magazines to degrade women but also the music industry is making it
commonplace to degrade women. It is no wonder that there are so many problems with todays
teenagers and why suicide rates and eating disorders are increasing. Social media is seen
everywhere, but the two most contributing factors have to be the magazine industry and the
music industry. Both follow the same stereotypes for women in order to keep their level of fame
instead of going outside of the group to speak the truth about women.

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There are many different perspectives on the

world, but the conflict perspective stands out the most
when it

comes to social media. A conflict theorists believe that

the mass media

serves to reinforce the distance and discord between genders,

different races and ethnicities and social classes, rather than promoting social harmony
(Knight). In other words, according to conflict theorists, social media is only causing more harm
than good. Social media is only separating people even further from each other rather than
solving any of the current problems going on. This is why social media does not seem to be
calming down on objectifying women. Conflict theorists believe that social media is what keeps
people separated. In other words, keeping rich and poor on a separate scale, men and women on
a different level of respect and also just the differing ways that people dress and how you treat
them.
To conclude, social media is found everywhere. Whether it be driving and looking at an
ad on the side of the road, listening to music, flipping through a magazine or even watching tv.
But one of the biggest problems among social media today has to be the problem of women
constantly being degraded. The two most common types of media that have the biggest impact
on women today are music and the magazine industry. According to a conflict theorists, social
media is in place in order to keep social classes differing. Which is why we can see that there is
little to nothing being done about how women are portrayed in the media. Also this is why it
should come to no surprise that rates of eating disorders and suicide among women are
increasing rather than decreasing.

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Works Cited
Murphy, Rewa, and Sue Jackson. "Bodies-as-Image? the Body made Visible in
Magazine Love Your Body Content." Women's Studies Journal 25.1 (2011): 17-30.
ProQuest. Web. 01 May 2016
Alvarenga, Raquel, and others. "The Politics of Sex." Harvard Political Review Vol.
XXXII, No. 2. Summer 2005: 12-21. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 01 May 2016.
Knight, Daniella. "The Knight Reaction." : Sociological Perspectives on Mass Media.
N.p., n.d. Web. 02 May 2016.
Aubrey, Jennifer Stevens. "Looking Good Versus Feeling Good: An Investigation of
Media Frames of Health Advice and their Effects on Women's Body-Related SelfPerceptions." Sex Roles 63.1-2 (2010): 50-63. ProQuest. Web. 30 Apr. 2016.
Bever, Lindsey. "Urban Outfitters Told to Remove Online Ad Featuring 'Too-Skinny'
Model." Washington Post - Blogs. 06 Jan. 2015: n.p. SIRS Issues Researcher. Web. 31
Apr. 2016.