Abstract:

 

This paper explores the impact of social media on female sexual identity. The paper argues that social media has played a notable role in contouring the way women view their sexualities and their bodies and present themselves to society. The paper examines how social media, specifically Instagram and TikTok, have created an ever-changing and impossible standard of the ideal female body, which has led to low self-esteem, body dissatisfaction and underdeveloped sexual identity among women as they try to maintain a certain image. The paper also discusses the negative effects of body comparison on social media and its extreme effects on women. Nevertheless, social media has also created a space for women to connect with each other and express their sexuality in a positive and liberating manner. This has led to the development of leadership figures and online communities that protect and support women’s sexual identities, as well as educate them surrounding sexual health. The paper concludes that regardless of whether it is a negative or positive impact, social media has had a profound and complex effect on female sexual identity. Whilst social media has perpetuated unrealistic standards, it has also provided the opportunity for sexual self-expression and support from female communities.

 

Conference Paper:

 

Female sexual identity is a nuanced and complex phenomenon that has been influenced by endless external factors throughout time (Lumby, 1997). Sexual identity refers to a person’s identity in relation to their sexuality (Holt et al., 2020). This can refer to their sexual preferences, their relationship with their body, sexual self-expression, and the way they choose to present themselves to society (Goffman, 1956). There are many internal and external factors throughout a woman’s life that will influence the way her sexual identity is formed and developed (Lumby, 1997), and in contemporary society, it can be argued that social media is one of the most influential of these factors. This paper argues that social media has unequivocally shaped and contoured the ideology of the ideal female body, influencing the sexual relationships females have with their bodies and in turn, their sexual identity (Hilton-Morrow & Battles, 2015). Yet, equally radically, social media has created an online sphere for women to share their experiences, create communities and express their own sexual identity in a way the world perhaps has not seen before.

 

Arguably, the most impactful aspect of social media on female sexual identity is the relentless sexualisation and objectification of the ideal female body across social media landscapes (Abidin, 2016). Social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram are flooded with overtly sexual and unrealistic images of what society would consider “the ideal female form” (Abidin, 2016). These images are often altered and tampered with in an attempt to prescribe to what social media has currently deemed the “ideal female body type” (Aniulis, Sharp & Thomas, 2021), leaving women scrolling endlessly through unattainable “goals” and subsequently leading to body dissatisfaction and low self-esteem. The editing of images has created a cyclical paradox in which body comparison leads women to manipulate their own photos, after seeing another woman’s images, in order to create a perceived social self-presentation (Goffman, 1956) that maintains the image of a sexual and idealised female body.

 

Perhaps the most dangerous element of social media portraying the ideal female body is that this ideal is rapidly and constantly changing as beauty trends appear online (Bonafini & Pozzilli, 2010). In contemporary society, the ideal female body changes almost yearly, as social media and celebrity figures influence society’s ideology of what this body looks like (Bonafini & Pozzilli, 2010). For example, in the late 2010s, social media created the ideology that the female body was of almost perfect mathematical proportions, considering the hip, waist and bust ratio (Enterprise, 2022). During this period, curvier celebrities with extreme proportions such as reality television stars Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner were considered the idealistic female body type (Enterprise, 2022), and this trend quickly spread across platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, as women tried to emulate their looks, either with invasive surgeries or extreme altering of images (Enterprise, 2022). As the 2020s begun, social media trends almost contrasted this body type entirely, as elements of the early 1990s “heroin-chic” (Enterprise, 2022), extremely thin body type regained traction on the internet, with celebrities such as super-model Bella Hadid quickly becoming one of the most influential women online, with over 58 million followers on Instagram (Hypeauditor, 2023). A study was conducted to consider the correlation between appearance-related activity on social media with body dissatisfaction among adolescent females (Scully, Swords & Nixon, 2023). This study found through self-report measures that body dissatisfaction and low self-esteem were significantly related to time engaged with body comparisons on social media (Scully, Swords and Nixon, 2023), specifically visual platforms such as Instagram and TikTok. The fast-moving nature of body trends on social media is detrimental to the sexual identity of a woman in contemporary society. These unattainable and ever-changing body standards that women are continuously reminded of using social media platforms are creating destructive relationships between women and their bodies as sexual beings (Bonafini & Pozzilli, 2010) as they attempt to fulfil an unachievable self-presentation in society (Goffman, 1956).

 

According to Goffman (1956), individuals are constantly performing “roles” in their everyday lives, as they present themselves in a socially desirable manner to fulfil the expectations of their “audience”. In the context of social media, specifically Instagram and TikTok, women are often influenced to present themselves as sexually desirable. It can be questioned how women are expected to develop healthy, positive sexual identities when social media is relentlessly reminding them that their bodies do not look the way they should in order to be sexually attractive. Wilkins and Miller (2017) interviewed women aged 14-22 to critically analyse the relationship between self-esteem and sexual identity. These interviews showed a correlation between low self-esteem regarding body image and underdeveloped sexual identity. Wilkins and Miller (2017) found that girls who had not developed a secure body image were more likely to engage in sexual activities they would not otherwise choose to participate in and had less agency and confidence in their sexual choices than women who had developed a positive relationship with their bodies. Featherstone (1982) states; “images invite comparisons”, which unequivocally elucidates the radical effects of social media on a woman’s self-esteem, and subsequently, the development of their sexual identity.

 

Contrasting this aspect of the effect of social media on women’s sexual identity is the development of online communities and leadership figures (Verma, 2021) that support and protect women’s sexual identities and health, which could perhaps be considered just as “radical” in its own sense. Social media has also created a space in which women are able to communicate with each other regarding their sexuality (Verma, 2021) and support each other as they navigate this part of their identity in such a complex, and ever-changing landscape. These communities and movements can be seen on platforms such as Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, as women are beginning to speak up about their sexual experiences and their attitudes towards sex (Verma, 2021). These platforms have given women the space to express themselves in contemporary society, that perhaps did not exist previously. Features of these platforms include anonymity, private groups, and personal messaging, which makes it easier for women to communicate such vulnerable aspects of their identities. Perhaps this element of anonymity allows individuals to detach from Goffman’s (1956) theory of “self-presentation” and allow for an alternative, the liberal perspective of identity (Taylor, 1994), that allows for freedom and agency in creating an identity that aligns with the individual, and not society’s expectations.

 

The “#Metoo” movement is a global, survivor-led movement founded by Tarana Burke (a social activist) against sexual violence and harassment that arose on social media in 2017 and is still prominent and active today (Chandra & Erlinsdóttir, 2020). Although this movement has grown to include and support all genders (Maryville University, 2023), the community that has been built within this movement has given women a space to communicate their experiences and support each other through trauma. The “#Metoo” movement supports the development of female sexual identity as it not only supports women through emotional and sexual trauma but educates women on the importance of their sexual agency over their own bodies (Maryville University, 2023). Social media has allowed this movement to spread in a way it perhaps wouldn’t have otherwise, and given women a voice, yet anonymity and safety when need be. The “#Metoo” movement is not the only community that has been created through social media platforms, it is one of many networked publics that allows for interaction. There are endless examples of small and large communities regarding women’s sexual identity and health that have surfaced throughout social media in contemporary society including LGBTQI+ support networks, women’s sexual health forums (Chandra & Erlinsdóttir, 2020) and more, all of which contribute to the development and support of women’s sexual identities.

 

Adetimehin (2021) states “When not given substantial information, young adults seek human and material resources to make sense of bodily changes and emotions”. External factors impact the education level women have received throughout their lives surrounding their sexuality, sexual health, and relationship with themselves as sexual beings. Social media has not only created a platform for these communities to exist but also created a space for female “sex-positive” and sexual health leaders to arise, educating and supporting their followers in their sexual identity development journey (Adetimehin, 2021). Chantelle Otten is a female psycho-sexologist who has established a social media presence, with over 189 thousand followers on the platform Instagram, and educates her predominantly female following regarding sexual health and sexual agency (Creative I, 2023). Social media in contemporary society has created a space where educated leaders such as Chantelle Otten open conversations online, and guide women who do not have the means to pay for such support externally (Creative I, 2023). These leaders have radically influenced the development of women’s sexual identity through education via social media platforms and foster a positive self-belief within women regarding their identity from a liberal perspective (Taylor, 1994). Education supports the individuals’ belief that they have autonomy and agency over their own sexual identity (Taylor, 1994).

 

Another prominent and radical influence that social media has had on the development of female sexual identity is the space and acceptance that has been created for women to sexually express themselves (Spectator, 2023) and enjoy themselves as sexual beings, in a way that has ceased to exist ever before. It has been previously observed that overt over-sexualisation and the objectification of the female body can be immensely harmful to women’s sexual identities, and it can be recognised that tensions do lie between this harmful imagery and the beginning of positive female sexual self-expression on social media (Spectator, 2023). The social discourse surrounding the female body tends to be pulled in many different directions, with rising tensions between different perspectives and ideologies.

 

This paradox can be recognised within discourse regarding the social media platform “Only Fans”, a platform where subscribers can pay a monthly fee to gain access to private content posted by users. Although this platform isn’t specific to sexual content, many women utilise this platform to express their sexualities as a source of income (Spectator, 2023) or for their own enjoyment. The social media platform has been popular amongst many female sex workers as it provides them with autonomy over their own bodies and the ability to decide what and with whom they share. This is an example of women utilising social media to develop their sexual identities, express themselves and earn money. This example lies within the paradox as it can be questioned whether this aspect of social media and female sexuality is contributing to the dangerous over-sexualisation of females online, or whether it is a representation of sexual freedom and liberation on social media (Spectator, 2023). The complexities of the infinite and nuanced perspectives that intertwine throughout this paradox will continue to contradict each other as women navigate what is right for them personally, discover and develop their sexual identity and explore their sexual freedom online. The impact of social media on women’s sexual identities can be considered revolutionary due to the reduced amount of judgement (Spectator, 2023) surrounding this profession in contemporary society.

 

Although these platforms are still highly censored regarding sexual content (Mystery Vibe, 2018) Instagram, Twitter and TikTok are beginning to provide a safe space for women to celebrate their bodies, regardless of whether it is sexual content or body positivity content. In contemporary society, women are beginning to create art influenced by sexuality and share it to communities online. This can be recognised in nude imagery, paintings, drawings and more (Mystery Vibe, 2018), as women utilise art to reclaim the female form. For example, artist Tina Maria Elena Bak shares to Instagram her watercolour imagery of nude female bodies that don’t necessarily conform to the ideologies of the perfect female body. Tina Maria Elena Bak states that her artwork represents “the beauty of sensual nature from a woman’s point of view” (Mystery Vibe, 2018). This online space potentially wouldn’t exist, and this artwork certainly wouldn’t have been shared across communities if social media didn’t foster these artistic acts of sexual self-expression. Bak has utilised such visual platforms to promote her artwork and nuture her “networked self” (Papacharissi, 2010) in turn building a positive online community.

 

Social media has radically impacted the development of female sexual identity in contemporary society in both positive and negative ways. Many of the impacts recognised contradict each other, which can be considered representative of the complex, nuanced and ever-changing attitudes towards the female body and female sexuality. Social media has been incredibly damaging in the development of women’s sexual identities in some respects, as women’s body image and self-esteem are impacted by relentless comparison, whereas in other ways social media has nurtured a space in which women can communicate, support each other, and express their sexuality online. Although somewhat in contradictory ways, it can be acknowledged that social media has had a radical and vast impact on the development of female sexual identity today.

 

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