Sometimes we get stuck in social media bubbles, where everything aligns with our beliefs and our kindness level. So, from time to time, it's normal to be shocked by how different and unwelcoming some sides of the internet are.
An X user Maggie found a video of a stunning woman in her 70s rocking a sleeveless dress. Sadly, the comments, instead of compliments, were filled with hate from other "grandmas". Maggie felt so upset about them that she decided to start a discussion online about how women should embrace sisterhood instead of hatred.
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While some of us find ourselves in the more well-meaning corners of the internet, a much meaner side still exists
Image credits: LibertyAnders
An X user named Maggie was shocked to find how mean people, especially older women, can be online
The internet has given a lot to humankind: from improved medical care and economic growth to virtual entertainment and a new way to socialize. Each of these points has both its own benefits and disadvantages.
Let’s take socializing or social media as an example. Most of its power lies in its ability to help people stay connected with those they already know and build connections with those they don’t. Plus, it also helps various information to get disseminated (which could also be a bad thing, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves), provides entertainment, and serves as a medium for self-expression.
Image credits: LibertyAnders
Yet, it also has its own drawbacks too. Social media can have a powerful and addictive effect on the brain by giving dopamine and pleasure rushes. It can lead to people having a hard time letting it go, which can interfere with their daily lives.
Social media can also lead to people getting FOMO, having a hard time separating the online world from the real one, and developing self-image issues. The latter stems from people comparing themselves to others on social media, seeking approval for their appearance, and feeling disappointed if they don’t receive it.
She found a video on Facebook of a woman in her 70s wearing a sleeveless dress and looking beautiful
Image credits: LibertyAnders
As we said before, this kind of usage of social media can result in body image issues. Its symptoms include things such as constantly checking yourself in a mirror or avoiding them; hiding your body; and trying to change your body through exercises, diets plastic surgery, and so on. All of it can result in people having low self-esteem and poor mental and physical health.
Granted, social media isn’t the sole reason why body image issues develop. The pressures that force people to think about their bodies negatively can come from other mediums like magazines, advertisements, or simply from other people in your environment. In simpler words – society’s beauty ideals come from many places.
Image credits: LibertyAnders
Since around 67.5% of the global population uses social media today, even if some ideas come from other mediums, they are likely to still end up on social media. We have a perfect example of it.
It was first noticed and shared by X, formerly Twitter user @LibertyAnders (or simply Maggie). On November 8th, 2023, she tweeted about what she witnessed on another platform – Facebook. She stumbled upon a video of a creator named Candace Leslie Cima leading the page called “Life in My 70s.”
Sadly, the comments were dragging her for not having elastic enough arms and for having no butt instead of complimenting how good she looks
Image credits: LibertyAnders
On this page, Candace posts videos and photos of her wearing various modern clothing pieces and embracing her age in the meantime. In one of these videos, the creator wore a body-hugging sleeveless dress and looked gorgeous. But many people in the comments didn’t think so.
Image credits: RDNE Stock project / Pexels (not the actual photo)
They were commenting about how Candace is “too mature” for a dress like this and doesn’t have enough elasticity in her arms to expose her shoulders. Others commented how she “has no butt” to be wearing a tight dress like that. Well, the comments were pretty vile, considering that in reality, the dress actually looked beautiful on the woman.
Sadly, most of the comments came from women of older age. That’s what bugged X user @LibertyAnders. She even dubbed it “grandma on grandma violence”, which is a pretty fitting name for such a situation.
So, Maggie tweeted about it on her X account, writing that women should compliment each other any chance they get instead of hating and even quoted the Barbie movie
Image credits: LibertyAnders
Maggie went on to talk about how this level of bitterness is upsetting and that it’s sad to think that women still have a long way to go in order to heal as a sisterhood. So, she urged women to compliment each other and even referenced a scene from the Barbie (2023) movie. After this, some of Maggie's followers migrated to Candace’s video to leave some positive comments.
Image credits: LibertyAnders
Well, we can say that Maggie was spot-on. Supporting each other, especially during these scary times when, according to United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres, the patriarchy is regaining ground, is very important. Unfortunately, as today’s topic showed, not everyone understands the importance of this message. At least not yet.
Image credits: Freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
People in the comments agreed with Maggie and some of them even went to write nice things under the aforementioned Facebook video
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