Walking into school as a little girl, my hands were covered in a brown stain that displayed a beautiful design.
I was excited to tell my friends about all the festivities that had taken place, as Eid had been celebrated the previous day. I was ready to show them the stain that covered my hands. I would call it mehendi; others would call it gross.
As soon as I walked into school, people started asking me all sorts of bizarre questions. Like “Your mom let you get a tattoo?” “That’s gross, it looks like poop,” and “It looks like you have a skin disease.”
As a shy, quiet girl, I was hurt by these questions, but I kept silent. I was excited to show everyone my mehndi, but their reactions made me rethink whether my culture was truly beautiful. I thought it was, but after everyone’s reactions, maybe it was not.
This thought process caused a lot of damage to my self-esteem and my relationship with my cultural identity, and the reactions of others unfamiliar with my culture. As I grew older, I gained back my self-esteem. I walked into school once again with the same stain on my hands and the same feeling in my heart. The only thing that had changed was my age. But when I walked into school this time, my mehendi wasn’t considered gross. Instead, everyone loved it.
I was shocked because growing up, I faced so much hate for my mehndi. Everyone was in love with my mehndi, constantly asking me if my mom could do their henna like how she had done mine. People were showing me different Pinterest and TikTok mehendi designs they wanted. Then it all made sense to me. The reason people now favor my mehndi is because of social media. Social media painted a positive picture of mehendi, and this sudden interest helped stop hate towards the art form. This example illustrates how social media can alter one’s perspective.
Despite this, social media doesn’t always present an optimistic view of every topic. High school student Fatima Kashif, whose family originated from India, discusses how social media’s influence negatively impacts her culture. “On Instagram reels, there are a lot of weird Indian TikTok videos that have been made where people misinterpret that and think everyone in India is like that. I think that if they were to go and see what India was like or even do just the slightest bit of research, no misinterpretation would be there.” Kashif states.
She explains how TikTok and Instagram portray her culture in a negative light, as they highlight particular stereotypes that are not representative of the country. She explains that her government has a lot more to offer than it appears to from a social viewpoint.
Sai Chava, an 18-year-old college student from southern India, recounts how she was teased for bringing ethnic food to school. She states, ”In elementary school, I would experience instances of discrimination, such as being mocked for the ethnic food I brought, etc. Therefore, those moments eventually contributed to me not feeling like I belong and fit in with my peers. I guess you can say it shunned me in the sense that it made me feel isolated, which is one of the main reasons I didn’t have many friends in elementary school and middle school.”
After she faced all this discrimination about her ethnic food, all the hype is now on TikTok; there are many creators posting videos eating Indian food, doing “mukbang” videos with it, and raving about the food. When Sai was a child, no one would even want to endure the smell of her food. It’s remarkable how a simple TikTok clout can alter how something is perceived. I asked Chava, “Have you ever seen your culture used in a trend on social media? If so, do they find it ironic their culture is now a trend?”
She replied similarly as she went on about the new TikTok trend, “Scandinavian outfits.” Despite the name, these outfits have closer ties to South Asian cultural outfits. Chava expressed her concern for this, saying, “I’ve recently become aware of the ‘Scandinavian’ outfits going viral on TikTok, etc. Yet, that is very much South Asian culture. It is appalling how, in 2025, corporations are using ethnic culture for their benefit without giving credit.”
She addressed her concerns, showing how now that everyone wants a piece of their culture, they still don’t receive the correct type of spotlight. Social media doesn’t always help a culture become more accepted; sometimes, it does the opposite.
I interviewed high school students Victoria Mobley, 16, and Jamaya Ardis, 15, both African Americans. I asked, “What’s one thing people always get wrong about your culture on social media?” Mobley stated, “That being put together and speaking properly means you are whitewashed.”
Ardis then stated, “That we’re uneducated, bums, and ghetto.“ They both expressed how, as African Americans, they are put at a lower standard and are considered unintelligent and dull-witted, which causes people to be surprised and even more discriminatory when they defy racial stereotypes. I asked Ardis, “Is there something in your culture that you used to get hated on for, but now that it’s a trend and everybody is all for it?” She listed “bonnets, lashes, big earrings, speaking in slang/ebonics/aave” as significant things from her culture that she was often shunned for and considered “ghetto” for. Although it’s now considered the opposite, this is because others, besides African Americans, are participating in the trend.
The “clean girl” trend has been quite popular lately. A trend that emphasizes oneself in a “clean” manner, it prioritizes perfectly slicked hair, clothes in neutral colors, simple, glowy makeup, and minimal accessories. However, what this trend emphasizes has been emphasized for years by African American, South Asian, and Hispanic women. Oiling your hair and slicking it back is vital in the lives of many ethnic women, and it’s a tradition that has been practiced for years due to its practical benefits. As time has passed, women outside of these ethnicities have started following these practices and saying they solely originate from the “clean girl” ideology.
The issue is never that these women are following the traditions of ethnic women; the problem is that they are not ready to call it anything that relates to these ethnic women. The article “The Culture Behind The ‘Clean Girl’ Style – Give Credit Where It’s Due” states, “Now that these style elements are being worn by white influencers, does it become more socially acceptable and trendy.”. Are white women with Eurocentric features considered more beautiful? They beautify themselves in the same way as ethnic women. Ethnic women are still considered less than, never correctly credited.
Not all assumptions about one’s culture are negative, however. Oare Ekpe, 15 years old, a high school student whose family originates from Nigeria, expresses how people have had optimistic assumptions about her culture. Bruce Barrea, a 16-year-old high school student with Honduran and Nicaraguan ancestry, states, “I wouldn’t say it’s fully getting accepted nor becoming a norm, but our culture is used often.” Barrea expresses that there are still some issues surrounding the matter, but they are being addressed more frequently. Often, representation helps someone feel more valued and vital as they are finally seen as worthy enough to be seen in the media.
It’s not only teens who experience this, as the pursuit of clout and the desire to be seen online by doing the next “big” thing influences the narrative.
Adults such as Feminista Jones, a 46-year-old African-American social worker, have experienced this firsthand. Having grown up in a neighborhood with many immigrant and first-generation families. Many of these families’ native countries and cultures have been brought to the forefront solely because of the need for TikTok clout and the adaptation of elements from these cultures for personal gain. Jones touched on how acrylic nails were initially considered improper due to their length and intricate designs.
As soon as the nails became a trend and White Americans started following the trend, they were considered professional. This was not fair to African Americans, as they had been doing their nails like that for years, and when they did them like that, they were considered unprofessional and improper. Jones expresses how she was one of the African American ladies who got her nails done as described. I spoke to Jones about what Ardis had stated earlier and how African Americans are considered “uneducated” and “ghetto.”
Jones said that she is glad that now social media can show the side of educated African Americans, as it helps portray a narrative of African Americans that is not represented enough. She also expressed how social media helps spread the stories of African Americans and their contributions to the overall benefit of American culture. Social media provides them with a resource to speak out and help change the narrative of their culture.
Embracing one’s culture brings happiness to many as they finally have an equal among everyone around them. Including and emphasizing everyone’s culture is vital as it helps provide stability within communities. Chava explains the importance of everyone’s culture being represented: “I was glad, as no one should feel isolated from society because their culture is different from their peers. Yet, even though our culture or certain aspects are more normalized, I wouldn’t say that I’m too happy because those customs aren’t considered our culture. They are often regarded as mere “trends” without regard for their origins, roots, and other aspects. We should celebrate everyone and their heritage, yet we must acknowledge the sources, as many cultures have contributed significantly to society. Without recognition, many cultures, especially indigenous cultures, are at risk of dying out. Therefore, even though I was excited to see my culture and customs being somewhat normalized, we must normalize acknowledging and delving into the origins.” The impact of including everyone’s culture is phenomenal as it provides unity.
Clout has enabled many cultures to flourish and gain recognition. Though as much as clout has helped different cultures, it has damaged others just as much. You can not control what social media clout will make your culture look like. You’ll be lucky if it’s in a positive light. If not, you’re doomed as you’ll constantly hear negative remarks as long as the clout is being remembered and used by people. Clout has shaped our view so many times, not only culture. The influence social media has over people is immense, as one opinion can dictate the views of millions of others.
As tradition gives way to trend, cultural truth becomes collateral in the race for relevance.
