AMANDA GALLO — THE ARGUS (Lakehead University)

THUNDER BAY (CUP) — With the media’s unrealistic portrayal of what constitutes beauty, particularly in women, countless teens are left unsatisfied and uncomfortable with their appearance. This dissatisfaction with one’s body image has reached a dangerous new level with a trend that leaves its observers shocked and, for many participants, severely emotionally scarred.

The trend consists of teenage girls — ranging between approximately 12 and 15  years of age — posting short videos on YouTube asking just one question and for those who view the video to honestly respond in the comment box. The question: “Am I pretty or ugly?”

More often than not, the query is preceded by the girl’s explanation of why she chose to make the video. What’s interesting about their explanations is that they all tend to follow similar lines; they claim to hear their friends and peers assure them that they are pretty to their face but are still unsure — sometimes as a result of hearing others call them ugly.

Once the video is posted on YouTube, the girl’s self-esteem is at the mercy of complete strangers as they comment on her appearance.

In a video posted by a young girl who goes by the name Faye, the majority of the comments were positive in nature.

“It doesn’t matter if I think you’re pretty or ugly, it doesn’t matter if anyone here thinks you are pretty or ugly. You are worth more than your looks,” wrote a commenter named Prince. “You have infinite potential and that’s beautiful. You are you. Go you.”

Indeed, many of the Youtube community believed that Faye was not only pretty, but encouraged her not to base her self-worth on the opinions of strangers and to not worry about how she thinks others see her.

But there were also a significant number of shockingly cruel comments on the video. Some were attacks on Faye’s physical appearance.

“You’re ugly as fuck, in fact you should wear a paper bag over your head than hang yourself,” read one comment from user Xaeroforce33.  Other comments attacked Faye for the very posting of the video: “Seriously bitch? Fishing for compliments on youtube? The world is better off with people like you dead,” wrote commenter LamfpDewd.

According to Lakehead Graduate Studies Co-ordinator Sociology Professor Pamela Wakewich in Women’s Studies, this trend signifies “that you have a group of people who are, even at a really young age, feeling really insecure about body and body image, and feeling as though to have a positive sense of self that it has to be affirmed from outside. They need feedback from other people to tell them what they look like.

“It speaks to the fact that even in a modern environment where we can think of so many more possibilities for girls and women, a sense of the importance of body image still remains a pressing part of how people construct their sense of identity”

Wakewich also explained that while social media can be an exciting and useful tool for society as a whole, “we still don’t have very many avenues where people feel comfortable talking about body and body image, that maybe it doesn’t feel safe to do it with the people immediately around you. And so you throw it out there to see what your peers think.”

These videos can be dangerous, according to Wakewich, in that they open the girls featured to the potential for exploitation, sexual or otherwise. She also affirms that the harsh comments on these videos can significantly damage one’s self-esteem.

Wakewich stated that more media literacy is essential in creating a better environment for cultivating one’s own body image.

Understanding that the images portrayed in the media are not real, talking about when one does or does not feel good about their body in a healthy way, and that true beauty is not just skin deep are all important lessons that should be promoted among young women instead of focusing on one’s appearance.

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Graphic: Stephanie Mah