ABSTRACT
According to research from the University of New South Wales, ‘sexy selfies’ are on the rise. In a controversial article entitled ‘Sexy selfies just latest step to win complex game of evolution’, researcher Khandis Blake explains that sexy selfies, in which young women pose in provocative, scantily clad ways, are more prevalent in countries where inequality is increasing. Digital media were clearly influential in shaping these young people’s identity representation and formation. While this influence varied across the group, certain trends emerged, particularly with the 11 young people who used social media. Digital media enabled and encouraged the young people to explore and develop various aspects of their identity, and/or mark particular changes in their life. For most, the act of signing up to Facebook signaled a form of social emergence or marker of independence, as well as experimenting with various aspects of their identity.
