A simple "like"!

Upon reading For Teenage Girls, Facebook Means Always Being Camera-Ready by Randye Hoder, it really changed my view of others on social media. Young teenage girls are constantly living their lives through social media and being camera ready. Girls seem to always be posing for the camera with their hair swept back, hand on their hip, and dressed to impress. What really struck my attention about this article was the fact that such young girls care so much about a simple "like" on what they post on social media. The affect this has on one’s self-esteem can be very damaging at such a young age. Within this article girls are stating that they feel that they have to look their best all of the time, whether they are going to school or doing something as simple as going to the store with their parents. Once a young teenager, I do not recall this ever being such a high priority during my day-to-day life. I worried more about my education, what extracurricular activities I would be participating in after school, and hanging out with my friends. What really struck my attention was the fact that such young girls are even going as far as posing in their bikinis, short-shorts, and crop tops that reveal their midriff and cleavage. Some girls may view this as a way to get attention from boys, but reality is these boys are only giving them attention for one such thing. Starting out at such a young age, girls need to realize that they should not depend on social media as a way of acceptance.  After reading this article, I have found myself to be posting less and less on social media sites. I should not depend on a simple “like” for my own self-acceptance.