Victoria Garrick & #RealPost: Does it Make a Real Difference
We are living in a time where social media determines our self-worth. A tough statement
to hear, but a true one at that. Everything we do is documented, compared, and scrutinized by the
masses. What we wear, how we look, what brands we purchase, and how we act are no longer
viewed just through a microscope, but are rather viewed through a camera lens. Likes,
comments, and follows are metrics that are not only used to calculate basic social platform
statistics, but are also used to tally our popularity.
Gen Z has brought in a new wave of mental health awareness. Breaking the stigma tied to
mental health has been a huge initiative that this generation seems to be very passionate about.
Great forward momentum has stemmed from this, and we are witnessing real vulnerability.
However, do we see this change in social media as well? The answer is a resounding no.
Photoshopped pictures, airbrushed feeds, and filters seem to plague the internet. So, what’s the
point of a mental health movement if some of the most used platforms are the most toxic?
Victoria Garrick, a mental health and body image advocate, has been asking this same
question. Victoria is a former D1 volleyball player for USC and struggled severely with
depression and eating disorders in college. She later went on to give a Ted Talk about mental
health in college athletes and started her own nonprofit titled, “The Hidden Opponent.”
Victoria has also coined what she calls a “#RealPost” on her Instagram. These posts fall
under certain standards, meaning they must be honest, and they must be unedited. One specific
post shows Victoria wearing no makeup and sharing about her struggles with body image. Part of
her caption says, “I just feel ‘gross’ and ‘icky’ in my body right now. For example: Yesterday I
left the house in a tight dress, but I felt so self-conscious that after a few hours I bought a loose
romper to change into...” She then continues to offer a piece of advice, “sometimes when we
feel this way our old thought patterns and “diet-like” habits try to sneak back in and say things
like: ‘I have to go on a diet this week! ‘Only eat clean foods this week!’ ‘No carbs or junk this
week!’ It’s important to notice these thoughts, gently re-direct, and remind ourselves of the
TRUTH...”
Victoria has ushered in a new era of social media. One focused on transparency,
something that these platforms have never really witnessed. Surprisingly, people have taken to
her form of influencing, and many of her followers have also started posting pictures under the
hashtag #RealPost.
Comparison is a tricky game, however, and if there are “perfect” models and influencers
on these platforms, the game will continue. Countless people will continue to fall into the trap.
The question follows: can one influencer really make a difference?
My answer is yes. I have grown up in a world surrounded by social media and have
learned to compare my body, looks, and personality to everyone around me. I have been force-
fed jealousy by the media I consume. #RealPosts highlight the very things that make us unique,
the things that make us special. Victoria and her real posts have highlighted the issues with
constructing a “perfect life” over social media. She is leading a movement that says difference is
not a negative, but rather something to celebrate.
The focus of social media should be about celebration, not condemnation. Victoria is
leading the charges on a campaign that will revolutionize social media for the better, one
#RealPost at a time.
About The Author
Peyton Duffett is a senior Strategic Communication major and writing minor at Texas Christian University. She is the Creative Director for the Green Team and has also worked as a Copywriter in the agency on the Blue Team. She is hoping to work for a non-profit when she graduates. Peyton is passionate about writing, reading, running, dancing, and meeting new friends! In her free time, she loves to workout, cook with friends, read, or spend time outside.