Exposure Asks: how our voices can create change

Photo of 3 of The Compton guys: L-R Sibylla, Dennis and Grace

Young people figure out who we are in a world that keeps changing

Being part of Exposure has properly given us the chance to reflect on how much life and the way we see ourselves has changed, especially since Covid. Social media is such a huge part of all of this and we’ve been chatting loads about how it’s shaped our identities, our confidence and even how we connect with the world around us.

Our group at Compton have had some open talks and creative sessions about stuff like gender, mental health and how social media can sometimes lift you up but also totally restrict and shame you. It’s been really powerful to hear everyone’s stories and realise we’re all figuring this stuff out together. The good, the not so good and everything in between.

We’ve also been looking at how dramas, documentaries and campaigns like the Netflix series Adolescence can start off change. It’s got us thinking about how sharing our experiences can challenge stereotypes and give us the confidence to have a strong voice that people might actually listen to. Documentaries like the recent one about Grenfell Tower remind us how important it is to uncover the truth and push for change.

Working with Exposure is helping us go deeper into these experiences, share ideas and come up with new ways to make change for us as individuals and collectively.

Here are some highlights of our thinking so far:

Mental health
We have become more aware of how vital mental health is. Seeing friends, artists, and people online being real about their struggles shows that nobody has it all together, and that is normal. Talking about feelings is more common now, especially among girls, but stigma lives on. Some religious communities still call emotions weakness, and boys often hear they should not cry. This feeds toxic masculinity that spreads online through figures like Andrew Tate. We believe therapy could help everyone unpack the past and build strength for the future.

Check out: Kooth, The Mix or text SHOUT to 85258 for 24/7 support

The pandemic
Covid changed school, friendships, and the way we see the world. It was hard, yet it made us stronger and more grateful for small things. Its effects are still with us. Judgement about looks, clothes, and music is sharper, and many people seem to perform just to avoid criticism. Children who were about eight to ten when lockdown began now try to grow up fast. Some already buy expensive anti-ageing products, proof of the pressure to look perfect.

Check out: YoungMinds who offer help with post-pandemic anxiety and stress

Body image, online pressure and toxic content
We explored how social media often demands perfection. Even offline, people copy what they see so they can fit in. We stay close to friends who let us be ourselves and remind each other that most of what appears online is edited or fake. We want better education on spotting toxic content and louder voices calling it out.

Check out: Ditch the Label for support

Sex, porn, and respect
We’re all concerned that porn has become more widespread, setting respect for women back. Many young women join the industry believing it is empowering, but sites such as OnlyFans often harm rather than help. Progress in women’s rights is real, yet it can be undone when profit is built on objectifying bodies.

Support: Brook for advice on relationships, sex, and navigating pressure. Fumble for real, inclusive sex ed

Culture that changed us
We talked about how The Color Purple and A Streetcar Named Desire changed how we see the world. The book, the Color Purple, opened our eyes to the struggles of Black women and to the ongoing fight for equality. The play, Streetcar revealed how society can drive people to breaking point and make them think about domestic violence, homosexuality, and the power within relationships.

Music is massive for all of us. The Hamilton soundtrack tells Alexander Hamilton’s story through hip hop and theatre, making history feel alive. It proves young voices have always had power and that the past still shapes the present.

Role models and home
One of us spoke about how her older sister guides her. Having someone just ahead who has faced similar stuff makes change easier and shows we do not have to figure everything out alone.

Some of us have felt ashamed of living in small spaces with just our mums, while others had more. Sharing these worries with others, we now feel proud of what our mums have built. A place filled with love matters so much more than square metres.

Climate crisis and activism
The climate crisis feels urgent. Floods, heatwaves, and wildfires are happening now, not in a distant future. World leaders who say things like “Drill, baby drill” make it harder to stay hopeful, so we turn to protests, music, art, and real stories to wake people up and demand change.

Get involved: Force of Nature, Friends of the Earth Youth

Power to change
Young people can influence the world. Social media helps us organise protests and share information fast. Documentaries like Adolescence and films about Grenfell prove that truth can move people. We care about mental health, equality, and the environment, and we plan to use protest, art, and storytelling so that those in power hear us.

Get involved with Exposure and make your voice heard!

Honestly, this is just the beginning. We are still figuring it out. But we are doing it together.