Dove recently released a short film that explains the growing trend behind social media and taking pictures of yourself, known as the “Selfie.” The film follows young girls and their parents, and talks to them about this growing phenomenon of taking pictures of yourself.
The film, which has just gone viral after premiering at the Sundance Film Festival last week, makes a valid point about how these self-portraits affect young girls. The Selfie is often seen as a way for a woman to gain attention, but as depicted, these young women are not doing this for attention, but rather validation that they are beautiful.
The Dove Standpoint
Within the film, you can see the women wondering if they are beautiful. Insecurities seem to stand out and really show that these young women are simply trying to fit the mold of what they think is beautiful. One of the young women even tried to hide a portion of her arm so that she would seem thinner. Another simply hated her hair and refused to wear it in a certain way.
At first glance, it was a sad sight to see. These young women were self-conscious about the most superficial aspects of their looks. The film ends with a “selfie exhibit” where the women were able to see what others thought of them.
The one thing that seemed to resonate through the film is that all of the people that were at the exhibit found the parts that the girls were most afraid of to be beautiful. The young woman who was worried about her hair was told just how beautiful it was. This was something that was truly shocking.
Dove showed that the “selfie” is really not about getting attention, but more of a way for a person to validate their image.
Unrealistic Expectations
Personally, the film struck a chord with me as I was under the assumption that a “selfie” was a call for attention. However, as the film depicts, these women were merely insecure and were able to find their own self-beauty through social media.
Social media has opened up a hidden avenue for women to find their inner beauty. With a “selfie,” it is possible to show exactly who you are and receive the compliments that you need to truly feel beautiful. Social media sites, such as bubblegum casting’s Myspace page, target these younger women and give them a chance to realize their dreams of being a model.
Now, I too am a fan of the “selfie.” Not every person can be a supermodel, but we all have our own personal beauty. This is something that the film clearly showed and it is spot on.
Every man and woman has something that another person will find perfect. It can be hair, eyes, white teeth or virtually anything that makes you beautiful.
It may be a naive message, but it’s part of Dove’s “Campaign for Real Beauty.” which it’s been running for 10 years now. It has obviously proved successful for them commercially, but in my opinion that’s a good thing. In the end, the message is positive, and I’m glad to hear it.
