"Girls post a lot more [frequently]. I've noticed it, and I feel that it's a significant issue at Redwood. It's the pressure of having more followers, having more likes and having more comments," freshman Amalia Quaroni said.
"Social media expectations between girls and boys vary, but generally there are higher expectations for girls," junior Ethan Ferry said.
"There is definitely more pressure for girls on social media compared to boys. All of [my girl friends] and I are constantly checking our phones and usually are on social media," senior Ava Melen said.
Traditional wives? Try traditional sexism
By Elsa Sherman
Illustration by Lucy Jeffers
Living in a time and place where I am not constricted to gender roles gives me daily relief. Free from expectations of having domestic skills and house-caring abilities I do not possess (cooking, ironing and cleaning come to mind), I am able to pursue academia-focused interests. Yet, in the last decade, there has been a resurgence in conservative social norms regarding the role of women in society, often in a reactionary response to women in the workplace. In our increasingly digitized world, these norms commonly propagate on social media, fostering communities that promote the return to outdated gender norms.
One online trend that illustrates this theme well is the idealization of so-called “trad wives,” who glamorize home and family care. Reflecting traditional roles for women, trad wives push a dangerous narrative of misogyny onto women that harkens back to the ideals of 1950s America.
There is nothing wrong with being a housewife or stay-at-home mom. The inherent issue with trad wives is their consistent tie to alt-right media and rhetoric that suffocates people with gender-based expectations.
If one were to scroll through TikTok, they may quickly find themselves looking at videos posted by influencers like Nara Smith. Smith, a content creator with over 11.6 million followers on TikTok, is known for posting day-in-the-life recap videos of her cooking and cleaning her home. Labeled by many as a trad wife, Smith wears red lipstick and coifs her hair, but Smith isn’t a self-proclaimed trad wife —the term is often negatively used to describe her by the social media community. However, while her 1950s-adjacent appearance alone does not indicate an underlying political or cultural message, Smith has ties to right-wing spaces through her husband, Lucky Blue Smith, who follows and reposts alt-right accounts on X (for example, that of Charlie Kirk).
The issue is not in Smith’s lifestyle. The pressing impact of Smith’s popularity is the larger push toward regressive beliefs that a woman staying at home is fulfilling her “natural role” in society.
In 2017, women made up 47 percent of the US labor force, and nearly 75 percent of women with children were employed full-time, according to the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics. The trad wife, then, is an anomaly in the reality of America today. Being a stay-at-home parent is not the sole requirement to be a trad wife. Being a trad wife is a lifestyle that is decidedly not attainable for many American women, as most families cannot afford to live on a single income. By stating a woman’s purpose is to be a homemaker, trad wife media enforces a more negative outlook on the many women who aren’t doing the same as them. The idea is that a woman does not work because her husband has a job that provides for the entire family unit. More than that, trad wives deem men to be above them in the hierarchy of the family. It’s a harmful sentiment to suggest a wife is in a subordinate position to her husband in a marriage instead of on equal footing.
According to a 2023 survey by Gallup, 38 percent of Americans reported they are very or moderately conservative on social issues, compared to 2022 data showing 33 percent in the same category. While social issues are broad, this data indicates a shift in American beliefs that could bolster the influence of alt-right influencers, with trad wives as just one example. When one consumes trad wives’ content, they must think critically about what they are actually viewing, and whether it truly aligns with their own values and the world they see around them. It is necessary to reiterate that there is no crime in desiring to be a stay-at-home parent or believing in the ideals of trad wives. But promoting outdated gender stereotypes is inherently harmful. The “Nara Smiths” of the world and the community they foster could have real-world consequences for real-world women. Womanhood is many things, but it shouldn’t be tainted by insular communities.
Infographic: (Information from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and Motherly)
While it is usually presented as negatively affecting women, social media pressures people of all genders to abide by the boundaries of specific body aesthetics. For girls, the message often encourages achieving a clear skin, a slim body type and white teeth. Similarly, boys are frequently encouraged to burn fat, build muscle and embody a strong sense of masculinity that often feels unattainable. The pressure to reach these aesthetics is usually disguised as being about health, wellness or self-improvement, which can extend a gauze over the harm it causes.
Body dissatisfaction is a widespread issue among teens, and experts point to social media as a major contributing factor. The National Eating Disorders Association states that over 90 percent of teens reported feeling unhappy with their bodies in 2022, reflecting the pressure to conform to unrealistic body standards, which are commonly promoted online. This widespread discontent isn’t just psychological. It has serious consequences. A 2023 report by The Guardian sheds light on the severity of body-centric pressures, revealing a 50 percent increase in hospitalizations for binge eating, muscle dysmorphia and other eating and body disorders over the past four years. These two articles highlight how societal pressures and cultural beauty standards contribute to the normalization of disordered eating habits, suggesting that the rise is not just a matter of individual struggle but a reflection of broader societal influences shaping youth self-care.
As the first generation to grow up with social media, today’s youth are frequently exposed to trends of perfection, which only amplifies these societal pressures and shapes how the young generation perceives themselves and their worth.
Scrolling through my feed, I often see videos encouraging unrealistic body standards by showing transformation photos and curated images of progress. While some of the social media content might be meant to inspire, it often showcases heavily filtered or photoshopped bodies, extreme fitness routines or results that require more time and resources than most people have, leaving viewers feeling like they’re not enough.
In an April 2025 Bark Survey, 41 percent of students reported occasionally feeling pressure to alter their appearances based on content they see on social media. The data reveals just how deeply social media influences young people’s self-image.
With an overwhelming focus on idealised beauty standards, many students feel compelled to conform to unrealistic expectations pushed online.
While social media's impact on self-image is clear, addressing this issue requires both individual and collective efforts to foster healthier online environments.
Redwood has a chance to lead by example in addressing the pressures teens face around body image and social media. Organizing a Stop and Learn that focuses on body image, where health experts and students share their insights on recognizing and challenging harmful content online would be an effective way to combat the issue. This could empower students to confront unreasonable body standards and could make a lasting impact on students’ health and self-worth.
Social media isn’t going away anytime soon, but the standards it promotes don’t have to define how the young generation perceives their own bodies. To create a community where people are valued for who they are beyond their appearance, we need education in schools, awareness online and the courage to speak out as students. No one should have to scroll through their feed and feel like they are not enough—it's time to break free from unrealistic standards and embrace who we truly are.
In addition to the online world's impact on self image...
Although spearheaded by male influencers in their thirties, misogynistic rhetoric is made available to young boys through early access to social media. What used to be considered “locker room talk” is now projected to millions of viewers on Discord, Instagram, Reddit, Snapchat, TikTok, X and YouTube.
The Red Pill concept is both an online community hosted on Reddit and a social theory that rose to popularity in 2016. The vision was inspired by “The Matrix,” a film in which Keanu Reeves’ character must choose between the blue pill (ignorance) or the red pill (enlightenment). The Red Pill has emerged as a viral phenomenon centered around “enlightening” men to reclaim their power over women.
A 2016 article ‘Swallowing the Red Pill: a journey to the heart of modern misogyny’ published in The Guardian references the the Red Pill’s glossary, including “alpha males,” “sexual market value,” “feminazis” and the degradation of “incels.” For reference, “incel” is the portmanteau word of involuntary and celibate, which AJ Willingham of CNN describes as “a part of a larger web of ideologies, groups and media sometimes described as the manosphere. Incel groups, as well as the manosphere in general, attract predominantly young males searching for meaning and community.”
Emory Andrew Tate III — popularly known as Andrew Tate — is an American-British social media personality and endorser of the Red Pill with 10.7 million followers on X. The self-proclaimed misogynist is known for promoting the belief that women are inferior to men and are only useful for the purpose of sex and status building to the male appeal.
The Internet Matters Team, a research hub based in the UK, reported that 59 percent of children aged 9 to 16 were aware of Tate, with awareness increasing by age, as 75 percent of children aged 16 to 17 reported awareness. Although approximately 23 percent of these children had a positive view of Tate, the sheer amount of attention he attracted — whether for entertainment or as a serious figure — can make his social philosophy seem dominant and unavoidable. With high youth exposure to Tate and his channel, the expansion of his misogynistic ideologies and “manosphere” is evident.
The line between digital hate and real-world violence is becoming increasingly blurred, translating from misogynistic online accounts to violence within the schoolyard and in teenage social life. According to StopUkHate.org “In England and Wales, two women are killed by their partners every week. Of all female homicides, 40 percent are killed by gendered violence, which means sexual violence, domestic violence, honor killing, etc. Every 60 seconds, the UK police receive a call about domestic abuse, of which 89 percent are about a woman being abused by a man. According to Women’s Aid, only 24 percent of cases of domestic violence are reported.”
The uptick in violence is the result of these radical ideologies. To illustrate the frequency of gender-based crimes, The Guardian launched “Killed Women Count,” a project documenting every woman allegedly killed by a man throughout 2024. While effective, the publication acknowledges that many cases go unreported. The growing violence is concerning, but the lack of action in response to these effects is also a growing concern.
To draw attention to the issue, Netflix released “Adolescence,” a series centering a 13-year-old boy, Jamie Miller who was arrested for the murder of his female peer. The crime itself was influenced by the violent misogyny he had seen online. The show amassed 66.3 million views in the first two weeks on Netflix and has shed light on the radical ideologies young men are taught through the internet. Critics have praised the show for providing a wake-up call for both parents and educators, highlighting how easily these dangerous ideologies can go unnoticed in the lives of their children and students.
While the narratives in the UK might seem geographically or culturally distant, the underlying causes — radicalized ideologies on social media — are the same reasons that misogyny is infiltrating youth in the United States, as American youth are just as susceptible to these ideologies, given the similarities in age and engagement.
Stephen Graham, British producer and actor who played Jamie’s father in “Adolescence,” said on the TODAY show that he hopes the audience will take away the lesson of accountability in the inevitable.
“It takes a village to raise a child,” Graham said. “Everyone is accountable: parenting, schooling, politics and the education system. Yes, the internet is a big part of the influence, but we’re not pointing the finger at one particular thing. We’re just saying we should hold a mirror up to society and maybe we’re all accountable in one way, shape or form. We’re the only ones who can change that narrative.”
The rise of misogynistic ideologies isn’t just an issue plaguing the digital world, it is also bleeding into our societal one, affecting our relationships with one another.
'Adolescence' Show Guide
By Petra Novotny
1. At a Glance:
Show: Adolescence
Genre: Psychological
Release Date: Mar. 13, 2025
Director: Philip Baratini
Runtime: 4 episodes, approx. 1 hour each
Rating: 99 percent (Rotten Tomatoes)
2. Plot Summary
The TV series, set in Northern Britain, spotlights the fictional story of a 13-year-old boy, Jamie Miller, arrested for murdering a female classmate. Each episode of the psychological drama is filmed in one continuous take, with the entire show featuring four episodes, covering the 13 months during and after Miller’s arrest. Diving into possible motives for the murder, the show illustrates how Miller was influenced by social media and the community's reaction to the arrest. It also emphasizes how Miller’s father, mother and sister cope with the charges set against him.
3. Themes
Emotional development & mental health
Social media influence on minors
Toxic masculinity/gender violence
Bullying/cyber bullying
4. Top Cast & Crew
Actors:
Owen Cooper as Jamie Miller
Stephen Graham as Eddie Miller
Ashley Walters as Di Luke Bascombe (Detective Inspector)
Lauren Doherty as Briony Ariston (Psychologist)
Director/Writers:
Director: Philip Barantini
Writers: Stephen Graham and Jack Thorne
5. Glossary:
A guide to Gen-Alpha slang terms you may hear while watching ‘Adolescence’ (TelanganaToday)
Incel (Involuntary celibate): An internet group blaming women and society for their inability to perform in romantic or sexual relations.
Red pill: Influenced by The Matrix, where consuming the ‘red pill’ meant waking up to reality. This term pushes back against feminism and claims men are the real victims of societal issues.
💯: The 100 emoji reveals the “hard truth” about masculinity and gender roles and is often used in text to show agreement with red pill beliefs.
80/20 rule: Also known as the Pareto Principle, this rule is often used to decipher dating dynamics. It suggests that the top 20 percent of attractive men who have wealth and confidence tend to attract 80 percent of women. As a result, the remaining 80 percent of men are left with only 20 percent of women.
Manosphere: Online network through a varied collection of websites and blogs focusing on men’s empowerment.
Andrew Tate: an American-British social media figure who rose to fame through his ideas of the manosphere and his controversial statements on women, building a massive online following of young boys.
6. Discussion Questions
What aspects of the show resonated with you?
What do you think the writers are trying to say about the roles of parents in teenage lives?
How do you think the show might affect viewers' understanding of adolescence?
What are some of the steps we can take to address the challenges faced by adolescents in our communities?
7. Visuals & Sound
Cinematography: Every hour-long episode was filmed in one continuous, uninterrupted shot. Each segment captures the story of different characters, weaving the camera back and forth to illustrate each character’s storyline. According to cinematographer Matthew Lewis, there were “no hidden cuts,” incorporated into the show.
Achieving this performance required extensive planning and rehearsals between camera crew and class. One of the biggest challenges was during the second episode filmed in a High school where dozens of real students had to be careful of the camera's presence.
Music: → Aaron May and David Ridley composed the series score. May and Ridley had already collaborated with Adolescence director, Barantini, in other shows including Boiling Point, Malpractice and Villian.
Released songs:
Fragile – a Sting cover composed by May and Ridley, Take On Me – A-ha, Through the Eyes of a Child – Aurora
Full Adolescence soundtrack on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/album/0HvbwMQL0F5q2gchEEciLa
8. Final Thoughts
The show was phenomenal, but also difficult to watch during certain frames, including the interrogation scene in episode one and where the psychologist meets Miller in episode three. The emotional stages the family goes through are gut-wrenching as they grieve who they thought their young son was. Additionally, the show includes how the internet can influence vulnerable individuals, typically young teens who are still forming their identities, who can be easily influenced to commit violent crimes. This adds a fresh perspective to murder shows that usually solely focus on middle-aged men who are mentally unwell.
9. How to Watch
UK age rating: 15+ due to “discrimination themes, language and violence,” according to Radio Times.
Streaming: Netflix
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