Little Mix’s very own Jesy Nelson has announced she is fronting her own BBC documentary exploring how social media, body image/shaming and trolling is having an effect on young people’s mental health. Jesy will share her own story while speaking to other young people who have been affected. The programme will be titled Jesy Nelson: My Story.
I personally couldn’t think of anyone better to front this documentary as Jesy has a huge following and platform to raise this issue and not only that, she has been very open of her own experiences with body shaming and trolling ever since finding fame on The X Factor back in 2011, where at the time she was reduced to tears by trolls who cruelly targeted her. She has also been very honest about the constant body shaming that she has faced ever since winning the show. Jesy has said she hopes to “make a change” from this documentary.
Looking at Jesy on x factor as someone who had lowest self-confidence who was actually reduced to tears, by the comments being made, to looking at her now, a strong woman who has ignored what people say and has learnt to love everything about herself and embrace her body and her insecurities and wear whatever she feels most comfortable in regardless of what people say or think. That is the most inspiring thing and something that I hope one day more and more people learn to do.
Even on the original tweet announcing the documentary into social media and mental health, there are the horrible comments about the way Jesy looks. That is why this documentary is so important. Jesy has been so brave to tackle something that isn’t spoken about much and has a huge stigma around it.
For me, it’s sad that a documentary has to made about the impact of social media, but it is hardly surprising, as social media can have such a big impact on everyone’s life. Take Instagram for example, where you are bombarded with filtered and edited selfies that create an unrealistic worl. With so much trolling, it's hardly surprising that people feel the need to edit themselves.
Social media is supposed to be a good thing. It is supposed to be a place to share memories; a way to keep connected to people. It's not supposed to be a place to write nasty things about strangers. Social media means that anybody is open to trolling and it is clearly having an impact on mental health and the self-esteem of young people.
Hopefully this documentary will help break the stigma when it comes to talking about mental health, and will hopefully show fully the impact social media is having on young people. I hope it makes people realise that something serious needs to be done about trolling and constant online harassment, as it's quite clear that it is having a major effect.
By Sophie Harrison for Female First
Tagged in Jesy Nelson