In a bold move, Iranian competitive climber Elnaz Rekabi shunned the hijab during her events at the Asian Climbing Competitions in Seoul. Female athletes in the country are required to wear hijab, an extension of the national law requiring headscarves of all women. Protests across the country have increased in the past five weeks, led by young people rejecting authoritarianism, morality police, and human rights abuses. Reports say over 200 have been killed. When Rekabi arrived in Iran, onlookers chanted “Elnaz is a heroine” and gave her bouquets. Also at the airport were members of the state media, who coerced her to give a story that she was “unexpectedly called on to compete while … at the locker room,” forgetting to wear her hijab. Before returning home, Rekabi had lost contact with her family, left early from Seoul, and had her phone and passport confiscated, according to a source that contacted BBC Persian. Her brother was summoned to an Iranian intelligence agency building. Rekabi has seen very positive comments on her social media, with users commenting “your name will remain forever” and “Iran is proud of you.”
Taylor Swift told us to meet her at midnight and we were ready! The longstanding pop legend released her tenth studio album at midnight between October 20 and 21, with songs “from the vault” dropping at 3 AM. “Midnights” is the sister album to 2019’s “Lover,” the promotion of which was cut short due to COVID-19. The former depicts 13 midnights in Swift’s life, from love to anxiety to affairs (and conversations with the FBI …). The album is already breaking records. It and Swift became the most-streamed album and singer in a single day in Spotify’s 16-year history, with “Snow on the Beach” with Lana Del Rey the biggest debut for a female collaboration on the app. The “Anti-Hero” music video has almost 20 million views, as of writing. Another piece of the allure of “Midnights” is the puzzles and Easter eggs embedded in social media posts, billboards, and dialogue. Angela Fennell was able to predict “Glitch” due to Morse code and audiometry. NYU students heard a speech full of clues at the 2022 commencement. Swift even jokingly referenced fan theories on her Instagram and the “Anti-Hero” MV by saying, “there is no secret encoded message that means something else.” She has us wrapped around her finger, and Gen Z is more than happy to comply.
Gen Z is nothing if not fashionistas. GRWM videos, fashion takes in interviews, and lifestyle aesthetics have helped clothing swarm our social media and lives. As a brand, it’s important to know about young people’s fashion interests, as well as where they extend to, as it’s such a paramount piece of our identity. Fashion is Gen Z’s favorite category to spend money on — we love to serve a look. Because of this, The Screenshot is excited to release some of JUV’s report with The Business of Fashion, an apparel-focused news network. JUV helped BoF to survey and interview over 1,000 Gen Zers on their fashion opinions. BoF also analyzed 5,000+ social media posts to gain insights into our generation. That’s what I call dedication! The “Gen Z and Fashion in the Age of Realism” report is a must-have item because of its analysis of the six key Zoomer personality clusters, its combination of case studies and quantitative research, and its help in unpacking tactics to reach Gen Z and adapt to trends. For example, did you know that we cater our looks for confidence and a sense of self rather than fitting in or status? To read more groundbreaking information, check out the report here.
Melisa Raouf is giving off queen energy! Raouf, a 20-year-old student from London, was one of the finalists for the Miss England pageant. Her groundbreaking choice: participating in the competition without makeup on, making her the first in 94 years to do so. Born to an Iranian father and an Azerbaijani mother, Raouf’s decision was inspired by her heritage and the recent protests in Iran. She advocates for “the freedom to choose, whether it’s to do with your appearance or the way you dress, [for] brave women around the world.” Though Raouf ultimately lost to Jessica Gagen, she placed in the top five. Inspired by the love she received, she began the “Bare Face Movement” trend on social media, challenging others to post photos with no makeup on. As a current politics student, Raouf wants to enter the government upon graduating, advocating for mental health and female empowerment. Can I say inspiration?!
Cartoon Network really said, “quit telling everyone I’m dead!” The Warner Bros. and Discovery merger led to some cost-cutting efforts at CN, from canceling projects to laying off workers. In a leaked email from CEO Channing Dungey, they are “implementing a new streamlined feature in which the development and main production teams will now work across both Warner Bros. Animation and Cartoon Network Studios.” This led CN lovers to believe its end was approaching. Even Brian A Miller, ex-General Manager of CN, chimed in with a “RIP CNS.” CN did not hesitate to shut down the drama, however. They Tweeted, “y’all we’re not dead, we’re just turning 30.” Though the station is staying alive, workers have called out the merger for cutting so many workers off the payroll. The animation field has been critiqued for its difficult working conditions, pay discrepancies, and lack of unionization. Staff animators often have to work weekends and evenings to make deadlines, and freelance animators have very erratic schedules. Hopefully, this merger will help CN enter its 30s with grace!
✨ IYKYK ✨
✨ BeReal is living rent-free in our heads! This time, in a trend circulating TikTok — done by Duolingo and our CEO (and Kerry Washington!). To participate, post “I don’t need to ⚠️ BeReal ⚠️ // I need to ⚠️ Be[Description] ⚠️. Check out our recent TikTok with more on how to use BeReal for brands.
✨ After 10 years of watching Dance Moms (Nia, you’ll always be our favorite), it was time to turn it into a trend. This TikTok sound originates from Abby Lee’s ranking of the dancers in an episode. Use it to rank products humorously. Become an icon like Miss Abby Lee herself!
✨ Your products should be better than the competitors, but what about random items? In this hilarious trend, compare them with something out of the ordinary, like pudding or Shrek 3 DVDs. Who knows what combinations you’ll think of!
Screenshot of the Week
Liz Truss’ resignation is the best drama England has had since S4 of The Crown! Twitter had a field day on October 20, one highlight being Ryanair’s clap back. The silver medal goes to Liverpool John Lennon Airport’s reply: “Make sure it’s non-refundable. We all know what she’s like.” I can’t wait to see someone learn about her resignation from a budget plane’s Twitter account …
The Screenshot: Week of May 17th
Hi! This week, we’re talking about Gen Z mental health coping mechanisms. Here’s your TL:DR; WTF is Cheugy; That A24 meme; Gen Z pop princess in the making; Robloxcore; BTS cancel toxic masculinity; The Gen Z Destiny’s Child we missed, and what are Gen Z’s coping mechanisms?
Trending
The A24 meme keeping the internet running
The new Gen Z pop girl racking up the views
Free counseling helpline created in this Gen Z musician’s memory
Stop trying to make ‘Cheugy’ happen
K-pop band BTS cancel outdated masculinity
The Gen Z Destiny’s Children we missed out on…
A to Gen Z
Robloxcore / Gen Z lingo /
1. A new music culture based around the popular game Roblox.
2. A genre of music filled with heavy beats, game-like sound effects, and rap bars that aren’t out of step with modern chart music. (Creativity is truly a coping mechanism!)
3. Take a listen here…
Gen Z Group Chat
To Gen Z, being open about our mental health means being the most open-minded generation surrounding mental health treatments. Coping mechanisms can range from the traditional methods, like therapy and mindfulness, to the unconventional, such as ASMR meditations and following mental health advocates on Instagram.
As one of the most inventive generations, Gen Z is finding mental health coping mechanisms one tap at a time. Are there any new ones you’ll find from our post?
Ztat
74% of young people want to learn more about meditation and mindfulness… Read more here!
talk to us, not about us.
The Screenshot: Week of April 26th
Hi, there! It’s showtime… Here’s your Screenshot on Gen Z film. Here’s your TL;DR: The New Gen Z Hope; Battle of the Joshes; Who’s a Film Bro; Hype House on Netflix; #OscarsSoWhite for Gen Z now, and how many Gen Zers have been nominated in Oscar’s history?
Trending
New polls shows Gen Z hope has soared…
The Battle of the Joshes finally happened – the cutest Josh won!
TikTok isn’t just for dances… it’s for this, too.
The backlash over Hype House’s new Netflix show.
Chadwick Boseman as an NFT? Um, no.
No ‘Keeping Up’ in the California governor’s mansion!
A to Gen Z
Film Bro / Gen Z lingo /
1. It’s the bro that thinks he knows everything about film and will not stop going on about it… especially all the artsy ‘underground’ ones like The Grand Budapest Hotel (lol)
2. Stay clear of the Film Bro, he clearly has a suffocating complex that you don’t want to get tangled into!
This Twitter thread is the ultimate visual guide for Gen Z aesthetics.
Gen Z Group Chat
The world couldn’t have been more different when April Reign tweeted out #OscarsSoWhite back in 2015. Hot at the heels of #BlackLivesMatter movement that started in 2014, it is one of the most recognizable social media pressure campaigns that fought for racial justice.
As we tuned on Sunday night, did Oscars 2021 make any progress in diverse media recognition since Reign’s tweet? And is that progress enough for Gen Z?
Gen Qui-Z
How many Gen Zers have been nominated for an Oscar to date?
1. 1
2. 3
3. 0
4. 5
Highlight the following to find the answer… 3 Gen Zers have been nominated for an Oscar: Hailee Steinfeld in 2010, Quvenzhané Wallis in 2012 and Lucas Hedges in 2016. Wallis is the only Oscar nominee to have been born in the 21st century.
talk to us, not about us.