Aging, Aging, Aging
Aging, aging, aging. In the last couple of years we have seen the rapid growth of young girls “aging” themselves. What I mean by this is, ten to fifteen year olds are collecting skin care routines and make up collections that are far more expensive and sophisticated than any forty year old mother could think of. This fixation has raised questions in my mind, “What have I been missing? Am I too old? How has this happened?”
As a now nineteen year old I haven’t thought about aging, at all. When I was ten I was worried about the newest Polly Pocket’s and Orbeez, not Drunk Elephant and retinol. I think about those young girls and I have a lot of sympathy towards them.
Social media has become the big bad wolf of Mark Zuckerburg’s internet. I know that I have seen peer pressure and I know that anyone on the internet has seen it as well. What I am trying to get at here is that social media has taken over and has been able to contort young minds. Influencers are the obvious people that are warping these children's minds and it's all because they can. Young girls see someone older and pretty wearing a cropped tube top and these young girls are pulling the “If she can wear it, I can too.” The thing about this is that the people in the screen and the girls outside of the screen can potentially have a fifteen to twenty year age gap. Putting these girls at risk of harming themselves all for the status or popularity.
The psychological consequences of societal pressures on young girls can be intense. As they try and find their way from girlhood to womanhood. These girls may then face anxiety, depression, and body image issues. The fear of aging—often exaggerated by social media or societal norms—can lead to a plethora of many more mental issues in these young girls. This idea of girls placing responsibilities on themselves and acting as if they are older than they actually are, shouldn’t be an issue, but is sadly one that we have to face today. Once more this is something that can affect these girls for the rest of their lives. They may struggle to have any self-identity, self-esteem, and self-acceptance. This is just something that needs to change.
I know that aging is something that all women will have to face in their lives. I see my mom and older women around me combat the early signs of aging. It’s not something that we want to hear but aging will happen. What we can do as a society is change the way we think. What we should be doing is celebrating diversity, promoting mental health, and encouraging open dialogue between one another. We can help young girls navigate the complexities of aging with confidence and resilience. Aging should not be viewed solely as a countdown to adulthood but rather as a stepping-stone on life’s journey. By embracing this perspective, we can empower young girls to appreciate their unique paths.