Hashtag "yolo," hashtag "swag," hashtag "foodporn." Hashtags took over my social media feeds. While I do not mind most hashtags, I do mind one: hashtag "natural."
Look, I get it. You look great without makeup, or maybe that filter on Instagram makes you look flawless — but hashtagging natural is probably the worst thing you can do.
We took hashtagging to a new and awful level. The problem is that this hashtag for showing off your natural beauty is unnecessary.
Not only is this hashtag clearly putting other girls down by saying that you're better than all those who wear makeup, but it’s also showing how natural beauty isn't actually just beautiful anymore — it’s all about being as flawless you can get.
Think about it: When a girl posts a picture and it has the "natural" hashtag on it, you think, "Wow this girl is the prettiest" or, "Wow, she needs some makeup." It’s like she’s setting herself up to be judged on either extreme.
This hashtag is ridiculous. Ever since people began posing without makeup and demanding that others look at their natural state, it’s just been a way for girls to show off their looks when it's clearly not necessary.
Let your natural beauty speak for itself. Let your body do the talking and feel good about it.
Hashtag "natural" holds a compelling back track. Forcing people to objectify you on social media really goes against what the feminist movement teaches.
By hashtagging "natural" on your pictures, you are basically only highlighting your physical beauty. What about what people cannot see? There is so much more to people than what they can see, and hashtagging a picture "natural" does not communicate those qualities.
No one cares if you wear makeup. No one cares if you don’t wear makeup. This whole "natural" trend is just a way for people to feel better about themselves.
Are you telling society that you are so insecure that you have to use a hashtag to get a decent amount of likes to feel good about yourself?
There's seriously no point to this hashtag. It's a weird way for people to tell others how they feel about themselves.
I just have to roll my eyes at hashtag "natural," because I honestly don’t care what you have on your face. Good for you that you are comfortable enough to take a picture, using a filter, to post a picture of your natural well being.
Just remember, no one is Beyoncé. She’s the only one who wakes up flawless.
Reach the columnist at Tishni.Weerasinghe@asu.edu or follow her on Twitter @tishnii
