For my Unit 1 Project I am choosing to look at and analyze the Instagram social media accounts of four very different, yet influential and powerful women. Accounts like Kim Kardashian’s and Sommer Ray are very well known to many people, but the accounts of thelittleeblog and Tess Holliday might be a new introduction. I chose these accounts for the soul purpose that each one of these women are very different from the last, but all have one thing in common: they uplift themselves and other women in ways that they see fit.

            The first social media account is none other than the social media and ‘selfie’ queen herself, Kim Kardashian. Her Instagram account can be found with many various pictures, highlighting everything of her fabulous life from her children, concerts put on by her husband Kanye West, fabulous clothing items, self-promotional adds, and of course selfies. Next we have Sommer Ray, a 20-year-old fitness guru, with her Instagram account filled with very impressive pictures of her body that she worked very hard to obtain. Sommer Ray participated in teen bodybuilding competitions until she was 18 years old. Now at 20, she mostly just posts at-home fitness techniques and pictures, and does some modeling here and there. The next Instagram account is a polar opposite of the last two, it’s the account of plus-size, tattooed model, Tess Holliday. Tess has been well recognized in the last couple years as the world’s first popular plus-size model. Her account features pictures of herself, pictures from some of her shoots, feminist campaigns, and even some of her children. Tess is a big advocate for body positivity and has her own trademark hashtag, #effyourbeautystandards. The last Instagram account I’m going to analyze is one that I had stumbled upon by accident, but grown to love. It’s called “thelittleeblog” but the blogger herself is named Emma Gustavson. Emma is a style and hair blogger and has a very cute, girl-next-door flavor to her that is very relatable for her 10 thousand followers.

            Starting off with Kim Kardashian’s Instagram account, one’s first initial take on it would most the stereotype that Kim is just a sex bimbo and her only claim to fame is her sex tape and people have no idea how she’s even still a relevant part of our society. But in my perspective, Kim Kardashian West is so much more. Sure, there’s no denying that her sex tape is most definitely what got her, her status symbol in the world, but since those days in 2007, Kim has really evolved herself to be a very good business woman, and an activist in many different social areas. One thing that surprises many people is that Kim takes an interest in politics. She has been known to comment on this year’s presidential election, and was actually very publicly upset about a bill that was denied to tighten gun safety laws. Some would say that Kim only reinforces the idea that women are supposed to look and act a certain way, and while Kim definitely does care a lot about her body and looks, she does it in a way that’s for herself and no one else. Throughout the years and all the negativity that she has gotten, she’s never backed down and stayed true to her beliefs.

            Sommer Ray is one of many females that have Instagram accounts dedicated to her fitness life and goals. At an initial look at her page, you see many pictures taken professionally, and unprofessionally, of her butt, actually almost every single picture features a nice angel of her behind. Some people might think that’s degrading to women, and she’s setting a standard that’s impossible to achieve, I think she’s actually empowering women. Sommer has been in the fitness world since she was 16, her whole life is dedicated to fitness and she has the results to account for it. Some say her bodacious booty pictures only reinforce the male gaze, and that she doesn’t actually know anything about real fitness and she ‘just wants an excuse to show off her butt’. I think her Instagram account is the exact opposite of that. I believe that for her, fitness really is her lifestyle, and it has been for many years. Something that is personally important to her is maintaining a healthy lifestyle, and she deserves to show off her results.

            Another blogger whose body is the root of her account is Tess Holliday. Tess is a size 24, plus size model. In the last two years she has gained much recognition for being one of the most popular plus size models and has really gathered up a large fan base. I think Tess’s account is awesome because like Kim Kardashian and Sommer Ray, she loves her body and isn’t afraid to show it. Tess is a huge activist for body positivity, which has been a very big recent trend and issue in our society. I think the fact that she’s completely defying the modeling industry’s beauty standards, and changing the game for all women, is just, amazing. It takes so much courage and strength to put yourself out on social media like that in the first place, but then to also be completely out of ‘the norm’, makes it even harder. Tess Holliday teaches girls all around the world that your body is beautiful no matter what you look like, and challenges us all to redefine and question society’s beauty standards. #effyourbeautystandards

            The last Instagram account we’re going to look at is the account called “thelittleeblog” but run by Emma Gustavson. I’ve really come to like Emma’s blog for two things: One, that she has a wide range of style that pertain to many different people. And two, because she is very relatable. In my opinion, I think Emma has an amazing style, she shows women ways to pair different items with different things, and how you could make two completely different outfits with the same article of clothing. I’m personally very into style and fashion so I find her posts very useful, and what’s really great is most of the things she wears she finds in thrift stores, so it gives you hope that you can look just as cute as her without spending a ton of money! The other thing I really like about Emma’s blog is that she’s really relatable. She’ll post about her family, most importantly her cats, and even teach you all the different ways she styles her hair. I think Emma does a great job incorporating many different styles and aspects of one’s life. She’s almost like your big sister that teaches you how to put on mascara for the first time.

            Through all these different women, and their different blogs, one theme stays in place: they all love themselves, what they do, and they set an example that you should love yourself the way you are too. Whether you prefer Kim Kardashian’s high class style, Sommer Ray’s fitness life, Tess Holliday’s body positivity morals, or Emma Gustavson’s friendly and relatable fashion tutorials, no matter which way you chose to portray yourself, love it. As long as you’re happy with who you are, and the things you do give you empowerment, there’s no right or wrong way to live.