Will YOU join the #Realstagram movement?
We all know that Instagram can bring out the faux perfect in all of us from coiffed hair and magical sunsets to Dwell-like interiors (AKA a tidy corner of the room) not to mention our beaming, filtered children. But for youth, in particular girls, the “body perfection trap” is particularly insidious. This quest for perfection has young people questioning their own adequacy based on what they see on Instagram. A recent study found it to be the most damaging social media network to a young person’s mental wellbeing.
In response, Vancouver’s RAW Beauty Talks has teamed up with Bachlorette Kaitlyn Bristowe to kick off a crowdfunding campaign and #Realstagram movement by stripping off her own makeup and challenging others to do the same – sharing real photos sans makeup, editing or filters.
How to participate in the #Realstagram movement
The crowdfunding campaign aims to raise $50,000 to send 2,000 students from grades six to eight through the Free To Be program at no charge to schools. A recent study found Instagram to be the most damaging social network to young people’s mental wellbeing. #Over the past 25 years, anxiety and depression have risen by 70% with recent statistics revealing that 1 in 6 youth will experience an anxiety disorder at some point in their life. #Realstagram is on a mission to reverse this statistic.
“The average child spends over eight hours a day consuming media – and so much of that is fabricated – it’s just not ‘real life’,” said Vancouverite Erin Treloar, founder and CEO of RAW Beauty Talks.
“Free To Be gives our children a different perspective on media. The program teaches them how to digest and interpret what they see from a more critical standpoint. It also helps them identify their inherent strengths aside from their appearance and gives them tools to build upon them.” she said.
About RAW Beauty Talks
Raw Beauty Talks is an organization dedicated to building positive body image and wellness through one-on-one coaching and a nonprofit Society that supports programs that increase self-esteem in youth.
About Free To Be
Free To Be, a non-profit organization created by Renae Regehr, is a research-based positive body image program for youth in grades six to eight. The program empowers boys and girls to reach their full potential by developing media literacy awareness, cultivating individual strengths, building resilience to social pressures that impact body image, and nurturing a positive social environment. www.freetobetalks.com
