Stand out social media stars - The pioneers in breaking stereotypes and body positivity
Social media is an essential part of everyday life. It’s transformed the way we connect, communicate, and share information online. Millions of people worldwide use platforms like Instagram, TikTok and Youtube, giving these digital spaces the power to shape culture, trends and opinions.
No longer just a tool to keep in touch with family and friends, social media is now used for personal expression, activism and business. Influencers have played an important role in the evolution of this by using their platform to share experiences and opinions with their followers.
Influencers can help challenge online stereotypes by showing diverse experiences, redefining beauty standards, giving a voice to the underrepresented and promoting inclusivity. By sharing authentic content, they can offer a more positive and real representation that helps followers feel seen and empowered.
In this article, we explore the influencers who are using their platform to break down social media stereotypes and how these influencers’ social media can help to empower others.
Social media stereotypes
While there are many benefits to social media, it does come with its challenges such as the stereotypes it creates. These are often overgeneralised and inaccurate perceptions of people that are based on characteristics such as age, gender and race. Social media can show idealised versions of beauty, success and lifestyles that don’t reflect the diversity of real life. This can lead to unrealistic expectations around appearance and behaviour, meaning many feel pressured to meet these standards.
A 2024 report from UNESCO highlighted the negative effects of social media on girls' wellbeing, learning and career choices. The report warns that image-based content driven by algorithms can expose young women to harmful content and reinforce gender stereotypes. The UNESCO report cited Facebook’s own research and found that, shockingly, 32% of teenage girls said Instagram made them feel worse about their bodies.
How influencers are breaking down social media stereotypes
Although social media does have its downsides, it’s paved a way for a new generation of influencers who are challenging these stereotypes. Instead of conforming to the traditional beauty standards, many influencers are now embracing their individuality and celebrating diversity. These influencers are using their platforms to redefine what is considered smart, successful and beautiful. By sharing their personal experiences and showing different body types, ethnicities and backgrounds, they are making an online space for more authentic representations of people.
The influence to empower others
We spoke to Cléance Obolo, an influencer who embraces her confidence and uses her social media to break stereotypes. Cléance said, “I try to show my followers that they can be whoever they want to be, without being confined to the image that society imposes on them. People often assume that a woman who travels frequently must be an escort, or that a woman who embraces her curves must be an adult content creator. Through my content, I challenge these stereotypes and show that human beings are complex - we don’t have to fit into one category.”
We asked Cléance if she feels that she has helped her followers feel empowered or inspired, and she said, “I try to show my followers that they can be whoever they want to be, without being confined to the image that society imposes on them.”
Cléance said she was hesitant when she received her first lingerie collaboration. “I wasn’t comfortable taking pictures, and I wanted to edit certain parts of my body. But working with brands… which focus on showcasing real women’s bodies, helped me embrace myself.” Brands like Goddess and Elomi are designed to flatter and empower women to look and feel their best, boosting self-confidence.
Asked if there was a colour that made her feel empowered she said, “Black. It’s a colour that allows you to be anything you want while remaining understated. You can be discreet, extravagant, elegant - it all depends on how you wear it. Black gives you freedom, and that’s why I love it.”
Janine Dutton, owner of Belle Lingerie explains how lingerie can play a role in body positivity.
Breaking barriers to drive inclusivity
Jazzmyne Robbins documents her running journey on her Instagram account, capturing her successes and struggles of working towards her goals. She helps set realistic examples of fitness and encourages her followers to work towards their own goals. Through her content, Jazzmyne highlights that all bodies are worth celebrating and empowers her viewers to accept their bodies.
Daniela V. Verdejo Salazar's 2022 City University of New York thesis, "Surveilling the Fat Disidencia", explored how influencers like Jazzmyne are challenging traditional black stereotypes on Instagram. Jazzmyne and influencers like her provide a counter-narrative by showcasing black, female-identified bodies that are unapologetic, proud, outspoken and inclusive.
The power of honest posts
Another influencer challenging social media stereotypes is Anna Chadwick, a UK firefighter who promotes health and fitness on her TikTok account. Anna reminds her viewers that the same body can look different throughout the day. This highlights that people’s “ideal” body type can look different to how they think it will look.
Anna often brings attention to how some social media posts can be misleading. She posts videos to her account showing how bodies can look different when they are posed compared to when they are relaxed. This emphasises that body positions can transform how people appear on camera.
Reclaiming your body image
Promoting body positivity is an influencer called Stephanie Yeboah, who uses Instagram to encourage brands to include plus-size ranges of their clothing. In 2020, Stephanie told the Guardian that she had faced decades of racism and fatphobia. She discussed how she overcame prejudice to accept herself and live with confidence.
Stephanie went on to tell the Independent that she and other influencers have reclaimed the word “fat” and find it empowering when they use it themselves. She said, “Now when we encounter trolls and they call us fat it’s just like, well yeah, and what else?”
The importance of understanding social media
While social media and algorithms can push stereotypes to create certain narratives, they also provide a platform for individuals to challenge and redefine them. Sharing authentic, diverse and inclusive content can help influencers break these stereotypes and embrace themselves. This shift with social media allows for a more empowering and realistic representation for people that encourages a broader, more inclusive understanding of identity.