This week I was online and came across an article that captured my attention for all the wrong reasons. The article was titled “Someone Changed a Photo of Amy Schumer to Look “Insta Ready” and She Was Not Impressed” written by Renee Cherry. This article was just a small glimpse into the culture of social media. Social media is a huge platform that has become a very important part of society and plays a huge role in what shapes us as individuals and as a whole. Most people on social media present their “best selves” because they want to be accepted by others. Erving Goffman would refer to this presentation of self as impression management. This is the idea that we are trying to control what others see us as. Amy Schumer defies this theory by being very real on social media, posting pictures and videos of herself while being sick, as soon as she gets up, without makeup on, etc. So when she saw that someone else edited a picture of her so that she would conform to societal standards she was not very happy. This act is the epitome of informal social norms and how we are taught through interactions with other individuals what is and isn’t “okay” to do.
This anonymous person who edited a photo of Amy Schumer so that she would look slimmer, airbrushed, and “perfect” teaches women that this is the standard we all need to meet. That women have to be tall, skinny, and flawless in order to be loved and accepted by our peers. Editing has become a perfect tool to help women “fit in” but has ruined the authenticity of what beauty really is. Social media allows us to fake our way to perfection instead of learning to love and accept individuality. According to Goffman, we always have a front stage and in some ways we are always performing for an audience. And this very much includes when we are online posting about our lives. This will never change because we have a need and desire to be loved and accepted that won’t go away. But what can change is how we empower men and women to be authentic and original and celebrate our differences.
Social norms are always present but always changing. In the past decade we have made huge strides towards celebrating diversity and individuality but we are still far from where we need to be. It starts with small interactions, online and in person. Encouraging unedited photos and people countering social norms and standards. Building others up instead of tearing them down. And definitely not editing Amy Schumer’s pictures online.
Maggie Fredricks
Word Count: 441
sociology 107 