Author: Meilimeina Yang

When we talk about Generation Z, we are actually talking about a generation that has grown up with the internet, digital technology and social media. According to statistics, from 2018 to 2022, the number of active internet users of Generation Z in China surges from 213 million to 400 million. This is not just a numerical increase, it reveals a changing era and cultural shift.

• The double impact of digitalisation and body image

Generation Z, as digital natives, have a natural affinity for the Internet. Many of them spent their childhood and adolescence on apps such as Jitterbug, Snapchat, and Glory of Kings. However, when their lives are flooded with all kinds of information and comments from the Internet, body image issues begin to surface.

Figures show that 71.3 per cent of Generation Z like to use video apps, while 60.8 per cent prefer social networking apps. These figures could mean that they are more likely to be influenced by the ‘ideal’ body image conveyed in videos, or by the comments and criticisms of friends and online users on social media. Here, Generation Z is often compared to internet celebrities and internet standards, and may question their own image.

• Gen Z’s social media motivations

The 2020 data shows that browsing for interesting content is the number one reason Gen Z uses social media, at a whopping 70.3%. This means they are more susceptible to pop culture and online trends. And to kill time (58.7%) and to find people with similar interests (46.1%) are also the main reasons they use social media, further proving its centrality in their daily lives. This hints at their preference in content consumption and could also be a source of potential shock to their body image. Trends, beauty adverts, fitness challenges, etc., are likely to be their ‘guides’ to body image construction.

• Interaction between body image and social media

According to the findings of the “The Box” project, many Chinese women believe that their body image is affected by a variety of factors such as negative comments from the outside world, negativity from their families of origin, a strong sense of competition in the education system, a lack of sex education, and limitations on the type of work they can do.

Combined with the above data, it is easy to see that the popularity of social media and digitalisation may be exacerbating these issues. As body image standards are increasingly influenced by digital content, how Gen Z women can build a healthy, positive self-image in such an environment becomes a question worth exploring.

Generation Z is in an era where digitalisation and reality are intertwined. This has brought them countless opportunities, but also challenges.” The Box” project hopes to help Gen Z women find their true selves in this environment, away from the pressures and constraints of digitalisation, and become truly fashionable.

For a long time, I have always viewed social media as a risky area. Even though it has become a dominant tool for communication in today’s society, I have shied away from it because of concerns about personal privacy and fear of online violence. But for my current research project on Gen Z, I took a brave step into this uncharted territory.

I am worried about social media mainly because of the issue of personal privacy. We live in an era of information overload, where every action and interaction may be recorded, forming a packet of data that can be analysed and decoded. This has always made me suspicious: Is my privacy being protected? Is my data being used for improper purposes? Is my digital footprint being left with people who shouldn’t see it? It also keeps me constantly thinking about how the perception of privacy as a concept has changed dramatically in the last 10 years. Whereas in the past, privacy a closed box where others were often prying eyes, privacy is now more of an open box where people are keen to show off their colourful privacy in social media.

I am more worried about cyber violence. There have been many incidents that have taught me that once something happens on social media that is not in line with the public perception, I may become the target of criticism and attack. The situation of being “named and criticised” by tens of thousands or even millions of people is a nightmare for me. Because in the Internet, “zero-cost” malicious harm, like a zoom lens of human nature.

But a recent interaction with Gen Z on the Internet has been an eye-opener for me. Gen Z has a strong and diverse relationship with social media. For them, social media is not just a means of communication, but an integral part of life. They are active on multiple platforms, seek authenticity in their content, are highly influenced by social media influencers and often use it as a primary source of information. This generation, in such an online environment, has shown a sense of privacy that has surprised me. They seem to have developed a filter of their own, knowing exactly what can be shared and what needs to be kept. They move freely between the digital and real worlds, displaying different identities, but these identities are not compartmentalised, rather they form a unified and complete self. If a person is made up of different pieces, Gen Z can better put those pieces together, with digital pieces in their hands. In the real world, they show a part of themselves that should be shown, and in the digital world, they can show the other side completely, which is, in fact, a safer and more reliable way of interpreting the self, and so they are relatively healthier physically and mentally.

For example, I met a Gen Z user named “Enen”, who has more than a thousand followers on social media and works as an Internet anchor. He had just joined the ranks of virtual anchors. In our conversation, he made it clear that social media is only one side of his presentation, that he shows his true colours when interacting with his fans, and that he has other, more personal roles and identities. He also loves who he is now and what he does in the digital world. Over the course of this time of communication, for Gen Z, online friends are also friends, and they likewise treat everyone with the utmost sincerity, giving him the experience of truly connecting with people. This made me realise that Gen Z’s online identity is not just for show, but more about connecting, communicating and learning from others.

Just because I’ve had a pleasant two weeks of internet roaming doesn’t mean I’ve fully accepted social media. I remain critical of it. And the experience with Gen Z reminded me of the double-edged nature of any tool. How we should utilise it is something that needs to be thought through carefully.

I had a great time participating in the WNBR 2023  event on the 10th of June. Based on my cultural background, for me it is about recognizing myself and experiencing the world in an extreme way.Next, I will discuss the experience in terms of self-experience and the event.

Firstly, whatever the significance of this event, it is an extreme behavior  for my cultural background. Because, in my cultural and educational background, nudity in public is never allowed, whatever the meaning of the behavior may be. This not being allowed is the belief that nudity is bad, shameful, sexually related and not to be displayed. In an event attended by thousands of people, I met less than 10 Asians and three Chinese women, including myself. So when I engaged with it, I had a strong experience of using my body to explore and break cultural boundaries.

Next, I would like to say HOW CAN WE USE OUR BODIES TO CONTROL THE DEMARCATION OF PUBLIC AND PRIVATE? This is the ‘how can’ question that I asked in my previous project. In the project I tried to explore this question using a conceptual model and photographs of the interviewees. However, the image of me in the nude, riding through the streets of London with other passers-by watching us on both sides of the road, made the question very interesting. The space is the streets of London, an absolute public place.Nudity is myself, an absolute private. But when a group of naked people are on the streets of London, there is a very clear division between private and public.We can think of the whole cycling group as a moving private space. In this space, we are independent and we are also in group. Also, the cycling group is a very safe space with a protective nature. Even in a public space, showing the most private parts of the group, there is still an invisible and clear boundary. As a result, I also experienced using my body to explore the boundaries of the private and the public.

Another experience is the awareness of the body. During this event, the body was treated with respect. From my own point of view, I realised that the body is an object and can carry no emotion or meaning.It is as naturally present and peaceful as a tree, a stone, a sand and a wind, an atom made up. It’s just that under different cultures, people have given too much meaning to the body, which leads us to often be unable to see our own bodies.When I was naked on the streets of one of the busiest cities in the whole world, all the tags about my body disappeared. I have felt a sense that, in the present moment, I am me. No definitions from anyone, no cultural limitations, no gazing, no shame, just me. I respect everything about myself, and I respect everything about the world and nature. I can’t define it as a physical or mind liberation, but it did give me a chance to get new feelings. It also confirms the saying, “Every atom in your body came from a star that exploded, and the atoms in your left hand probably came from a different star than your right hand. It really is the most poetic thing I know about physics: You are all stardust.”——A theoretical physicist, Krauss proclaimed. I really experienced myself as a stardust.

Finally, if this event was an intervention, it gave me a lot of inspiration and motivation.It also provoked me to keep thinking about the body, about the environment and nature, and to keep understanding the relationship between the body and the world. More importantly, as an intervention, I learnt a lot from it. Firstly, WNBR has developed a culture of influencing people through cycling. It is not just the participants who ride, but every passer-by is a stakeholder, and the essence is to make a huge impact on the event in the simplest and most ingenious way possible – by riding. Secondly, the organisers of the event were very clear about the various policies of the event. For example, the photo policy, legality, behaviour, PA Equipment, had clear requirements and recommendations for the photo policy, which made the participants feel safe. It is also crucial to ensure that the roads are safe. Thirdly, the organisers and participants are responsible for each other during the event. The participants, in particular, have the primary responsibility for their own protection in this particular situation. The organisers’ website also urges to say NO to any photos and actions that create discomfort. it should be a joint responsibility of both parties when faced with risks. Finally, at the end of the ride, I think the organisers need to make improvements. Although the risks that participants may face at the finish line are stated on the website, the organisers should have made clearer actions to reduce the risks in the atmosphere of the event. For example, a sticker that all participants could arrive with for identification. When participants see someone without a sticker ready to take a photo, they can mention to be prepared to refuse.