Nurturing Self-Worth In A Social Media World – Jennifer Oaten
If you mindlessly scroll through Instagram or Facebook whenever you get a few seconds of downtime, you are not alone. But have you ever wondered how all those images of other people’s bodies could be affecting how you view your own? Selfies and Likes have become key to the success of these platforms.
In today’s digital world, social media is integral to young people’s lives. A 2020 survey by the eSafety Commission revealed that Australian students aged 12-17 spend an average of 14.4 hours online weekly, much of this on social media. This significant time spent online has resulted in social media, particularly TikTok and Instagram, being extremely influential in the lives of young people, particularly girls.
Social media significantly influences young people’s perceptions of beauty and self-worth. Ongoing exposure to unrealistic standards can lead to decreased self-esteem, excessive focus on appearance, and increased risk of mental health issues. What is concerning is how social media is encouraging even young girls to adopt adult beauty practices. Enter AI, and this is now compounded and providing additional challenges.
Recent findings from Dove’s 2024 The Real State of Beauty – Global Report on women and beauty have highlighted some alarming trends:
- Two in five women would be willing to give up a year of their lives to achieve their beauty ideals.
- Twice as many women as 20 years ago are now willing to sacrifice their intelligence for beauty.
- Nearly 50% of young girls believe there is “no excuse not to be beautiful.”
- One in three girls feel pressured to alter their appearance to match online content, even when they know the images are fake or AI-generated.
These statistics are deeply concerning, especially as we strive to nurture confident young women who value their intellect and abilities above appearance.
As educators and parents, it is crucial that we understand and try to address the impact this is having.
What we are doing
At Santa Maria College, we believe in ensuring that our students recognise their true worth and that we all have different strengths and talents. We are committed to fostering an environment where girls can develop a healthy body image and strong self-esteem.
As part of our Diversity and Inclusion Strategy, data gathered from our student survey indicated that the area of diversity that was the top priority in Years 7 – 9 was physical appearance. This data has been shared with all staff and used to enhance our Pastoral and Health programs.
During our recent Year 10 Reflection Day, we shared an inspiring video featuring Kate Winslet, known for her lead role in Titanic. The video emphasises the importance of not being valued solely for our appearance or body type. Winslet encourages everyone to own their right to be themselves, delivering a powerful message of self-worth and individuality. She states, “I’m worth it,” reminding us all to embrace our unique selves.
We are also working towards ensuring our students:
- Are aware of the impact of their social media feeds on themself and others.
- Become critical consumers of online content.
- Understand AI and its impact on digital media.
- Engage with brands that promote diverse definitions of beauty.
- Demand improved representation of women in advertising and marketing.
- Recognise the unique qualities of each other.
Supporting healthy body image at home
Here are some practical ways parents can reinforce positive body image and self-esteem:
- Model positive self-talk about your own appearance and that of others.
- Say no to beauty products and makeup, especially trends for young girls.
- Celebrate diverse beauty by exposing your daughter to a wide range of role models.
- Promote body functionality by focusing on what bodies can do rather than how they look.
- Foster open communication about body image and beauty pressures.
- Discuss with your daughter the significance of social media feeds and body-positive content.
- Encourage interests and hobbies beyond appearance.
- Focus compliments on your daughter’s actions, efforts, and character traits rather than her appearance and encourage family and friends to do the same.
By implementing these strategies at home, parents can significantly contribute to building their daughter’s resilience, lessening the focus on appearance and boosting her self-esteem.
As a community, we must work together to challenge these harmful ideals, celebrate diverse forms of beauty and support our girls in valuing their unique strengths, intelligence and who they are as a person.
By doing so, we are not just combating unrealistic beauty standards – we are encouraging them to be young women who are confident, resilient, and proud of who they are.
- #aiimpact, #beautystandards, #diversityandinclusion, #socialmedia, Body Image, Featured, mentalhealth
Author: Santa Maria College
Santa Maria College is a vibrant girls school with a growing local presence and reputation. Our Mission is to educate young Mercy women who act with courage and compassion to enrich our world. Santa Maria College is located in Attadale in Western Australia, 16 km from the Perth CBD. We offer a Catholic education for girls in Years 5 – 12 and have 1300 students, including 152 boarders.
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