SELFHOOD on: Finding Community

by Adele Lefebvre du Prey

As humans we are a social species. To feel part of the bigger picture is something we all crave in life.

For many, a community is something you are given. From birth we have our families, our school friends, and then further down the line our colleagues. Our communities are dictated by circumstance more than our inner desires and needs. 

But the trends of Gen Z whose world view has been shaped by social media, there are now infinite options when it comes to finding one’s flock.

Young people who previously felt underrepresented or unseen in the communities they were born into can now be heard and accepted for who they are in the communities they have discovered online. They are finding a sense of purpose in ways they may never have expected as a child. 

From those finding meaningful connections in the metaverse via Twitch, to those joining like minded individuals on TikTok to build movements around environmentalism, social media is making it easier for young people to find their true communities.

SELFHOOD member Freya, 23, found the mid-size body positivity community online when she felt marginalized by major fashion brands and started sharing ‘real’ images of herself and her style. “When I post about these exact things that I kinda felt I shouldn’t talk about, there’s so many people now that are like ‘Oh my god, I was the exact same, I felt the same, I did the same things’. It’s interesting to see now how similar we all were but we just felt like we kinda couldn’t talk about any of that”. 

Naturally, the role of online communities has been amplified even further during the pandemic, with young people in particular seeking to maintain a sense of connection when physical connection has been impossible. But the impact of these groups is now being felt in the real-world. 

Josh, 26, spoke to us about how the sense of community flourished outside his front door during the Covid pandemic lockdowns as a result of online groups coming together to help those in need. “I’ve seen the positives of what people are prioritising now - family values, community values...if we’re moving towards a society where we care about each other more, that’s a positive by-product isn’t it”. 

While social media’s impact on mental health has been well documented, it’s clear that it can still be a wonderful tool. It is a universally acknowledged truth that we feel good when we support others and make others feel accepted and understood, and many young people are turning to online worlds to feel this. By facilitating and contributing to these communities - both virtually and in person - there’s a clear opportunity for brands to help young people flourish.