About This Project

Gen Z has begun to grapple with the injustice of unforgiving beauty standards through widespread movements promoting self-acceptance and beauty at every size. They also relentlessly engage with image-based sharing platforms that validate and reinforce the social and economic value of users’ appearances. The standards for beauty have, in some ways, shifted to include more diverse bodies. But the pressure to be considered beautiful – part of that still-exclusive club with its increasing benefits – has expanded. The result is a complicated relationship with body image that I attempted to unravel through extensive expert interviews, anecdotal stories and media analysis.

This project was born from dual interests in understanding broad sociological forces and my own experiences. I have benefited from online rhetoric promoting self-acceptance and I have also wondered why it wasn’t enough. I have seen my community and my generation go through the same process. And now, I have had the opportunity to explore the progress and limitations of body positivity. I am incredibly grateful to the Northeastern School of Journalism for facilitating this self-directed project, which has been a rich, fulfilling and informative experience. A particular thanks goes to my advisor Carlene Hempel, without whom I would have been directionless. She met me where I was at and made me better.