VERBUM II - Senior Magazine 2016

Habiba Khafagi - 12 Yellow: Social Media and Women

What are the things that most young women of our generation so desperately hope to achieve? Kylie Jenner's lips, Kim Kardashian's figure, and Taylor Swift's legs; not to mention flawless hair, a blemish-free face, and how to get a "totally natural look" using only seven hundred products. The moment you go online, these are the only things women seem to be talking about.

Social media has been a significant channel for all sorts of advertisements over the years. It has facilitated the marketing of many products all over the world. However, as of recently, social media isn't being used in the positive manner it was intended to be used in. Every day, we see more and more unrealistic standards set by social media on women, specifically young women. Hundreds of thousands of new products are being developed daily to meet these standards; and unfortunately, they are being sold in the blink of an eye. Creams, lipsticks, spray tans, eyeliners, foundations and much, much more beauty products are being consumed at the same pace, or maybe even faster, than food is. One heading would say, "Love yourself and love your body," and the next heading would say, "How to get rid of those extra 5 kg of weight you gained last night with this miracle tea". Consumption, consumption, consumption; there seems to be no end to the need of becoming the "ideal" woman on magazine covers and Victoria's Secret runways.

But, you see, the blame shouldn't only be directed at social media for setting these unrealistic standards; it should also be directed at these young women who fail to realize that subliminal brainwashing. So what if you had pimples on your face? So what if your hair doesn't reach your waist? So what if you ate that piece of cake last night because you simply felt like it? You need to stop constantly comparing yourself to these fake women you see everywhere, and you need to stop constantly wanting to become someone you're not. When your whole life revolves around your appearance, what's inside becomes secondary, and you become like a pretty picture frame, except without the picture. Your face eventually wrinkles and your hair grays, and when that time comes, you won't be able to blame the millions of products that weren't able to keep you young forever. Therefore, when that time comes, make sure you have your eternal inner beauty to offer, for that beauty is what actually blossoms with age.

Sogo ahead, eat that piece of cake, shave your hair off if you wanted to. Aspireto become something other than a shell. Travel, draw, write, invent, dream, and never let anyonedefine how you should see yourself. Become the woman you'd like to see everymorning in the mirror: confident and comfortable in her own skin. Become a realwoman, because a real woman is whatever she wants to be.