#BeautifulSuffering

With social media becoming increasingly intertwined into our personal identities and social lives, young girls and boys are using it to gain validation. The trend of “Am I ugly or pretty” videos sees tween-aged girls – and some boys – detail being told they are ugly by school friends before putting the question of its truth to the unforgiving internet. Similar to this over sharing of incredibly personal stories is the trend in ‘beautiful suffering’, where melancholy, depression, eating disorders and self harm are blogged, posted and shared online as a badge of honour or cry for help. But why are these tweens and teens imbuing complete strangers with the determination of their self worth? In this episode, The Gladies look at the Millennial generation’s desperation to share, along with the new dating app Lulu, and the horror of the viral article Five reasons to date a girl with an eating disorder by Return of Kings.

Sources

Luly app has “Yelp” reviews of guys

Teenage boys ask Reddit “Am I ugly?”

When teen girls court haters

Five reasons to date a girl with an eating disorder