This paper explores how contemporary media representation and social comparison on platforms like TikTok and Instagram influence the body image and identity development of Asian American teenage girls. It argues that while diverse representation is increasing, internalized beauty standards and "model minority" pressures continue to affect psychological well-being.
: The traditional "thin-ideal" and Eurocentric features prominent in Hollywood.
: How "Carly," a hypothetical Asian teen, must navigate being "not Asian enough" for traditional standards while feeling "too Asian" for Western ones. III. Social Media and Social Comparison
