Bodies under influence: how social media are redefining our beauty standards

Collaboration with Gen-Club and Ecla: raising awareness and supporting local residents

This initiative was born of a shared desire to act locally to raise awareness among young people and residents of the ecological, social and cultural challenges facing their environment. Gen-Club, an association renowned for its commitment to citizenship and its inclusive approach, and Ecla, an established player in local life, approached our structure to build a partnership around the transmission, commitment and empowerment of residents.

Genesis of the project

It all began with a meeting between Gen-Club members, sensitive to the issues of popular education and ecology, and our team, at a local event. Very quickly, a synergy emerged around a common objective: to build bridges between generations and strengthen social ties in local neighborhoods. Ecla, as a local partner, helped anchor this project in a grassroots dynamic, providing logistical support and facilitating access to venues and audiences. For this debate, Gen-Club members and the public were welcomed at the Ecla Paris Massy-Palaiseau residence.

The challenges of collaboration

• Raising awareness of sustainable practices: through participatory workshops, projections and collective frescoes, residents are encouraged to reflect on their environmental impact.
• Empowerment: collaboration focuses on the co-construction of local initiatives, where residents themselves become project leaders.
• Highlighting local talents and stories: through videos, testimonials and festive events, we give a voice to those who live and transform their neighborhoods on a daily basis.
• Territorial anchoring and continuity: thanks to the network with Ecla, this collaboration is not a one-off event, but a long-term, local initiative.

The growing impact of social networks on student life

Today, social networks are profoundly shaping student life. Whether it’s TikTok, Instagram or YouTube, these platforms influence behavior, emotions and social norms, particularly when it comes to beauty. Far from being mere entertainment tools, these social media are becoming powerful prescribers of body images and ideals, especially among young people. During a talk entitled Corps sous influence, three speakers explored this issue with a concerned audience: Fatoumara, student and activist who presides over the association Révolte Toi Nanterre; Capucine Coudrier, content creator and activist; and Nabil Ouaili, philosopher specializing in ethics and inclusion.

Increasingly standardized beauty standards

On social networks, beauty is consumed, displayed and standardized. Algorithms favor smooth faces, slim or muscular bodies and sexualized poses. Philosopher Nabil Ouali points out that “aesthetics are influenced by gender norms”. For women, this often means early hypersexualization, amplified by filters or cosmetic surgery. For men, the pressure is on virility: a muscular body, a dominant attitude, little attention to vulnerability.

These standards spread at high speed thanks to the virality of content. As a result, young people, especially students, are constantly comparing themselves and building their self-esteem through the digital prism. Excessive use of social networks then becomes a risk factor for mental health, fostering anxiety, depression and eating disorders.

Family heritage in the construction of self-image

Activist Capucine Coudrier shared a poignant comment on the influence of parents: “Our self-image is going to be hyper-linked to how our own parents behave… I’ve always heard my mother criticize herself, saying she didn’t like the way something looked on her face, and as a result, as a little girl, I was reminded of my own insecurities.

This testimonial reminds us that the use of social networks is part of a wider identity process, where self-perception is also built through imitation and family transmission. Social media act as amplifiers of these dynamics.

Paradoxical gendered aesthetic norms

Philosopher Nabil Ouali’s talk highlighted the contradictory injunctions linked to gender. “When you look at men, how they behave in relation to other men, in relation to their beauty, in relation to their bodies. In fact, we realize that men don’t necessarily want to please women physically. In fact, men go to great lengths to please other men, to be recognized by other men…” So, even sports content is gendered: men are invited to “build” themselves to please, often according to heteronormative codes.

A paradox emerges: men consume content created by other men, who tell them how to please women, in a logic that is sometimes more homosocial than heterosocial. This shows the complexity of the identification models offered to young people on social networks.