#WCW doesn’t come just once a week anymore.
The hashtag “20 beautiful women” challenges girls to post a selfie of a moment they felt beautiful inside and out and then tag 20 other women, encouraging them to do the same. The focus of the challenge is female empowerment.
The amount of pictures continues to soar as “20 beautiful women,” and different variations of the hashtag, have well over 2 million posts so far.
The trending hashtag seems to have spiraled out of author Saba Tekle’s book “20 Beautiful Women: 20 Stories That Will Heal Your Soul, Ignite Your Passion and Inspire Your Divine Purpose,” according to Tekle’s Twitter @sabatekle.
The book is a collection of short stories from 20 different women who focus on what it means to be a woman. Tekle herself and 19 other women tried to redefine what beauty means together, encouraging others that it is not only physical, according to Tekle’s Twitter.
The message is important for women as it promotes confidence and a strong sense of beauty inside and out. Amelia Bellows, a freshman diplomacy and philosophy double major, took part in the challenge after a friend nominated her.
“I was nominated by my friend Savvi and thought it looked like fun. I don't usually do stuff like that, but it seemed to have a really nice message,” said Bellows. “We're all taught never to compliment ourselves; self-degradation is considered modest-- almost verging on pious—today. So getting girls to take a picture where they think they look beautiful is really important. And telling the world that they are beautiful and conscious of it is one of the most political acts a woman can do.”
Isabella Scarantino, a freshman said, “I did it because two of my friends tagged me and it seems like a good message, recognizing the women you know who you think are beautiful people.”
“I think the message is powerful because it's you recognizing women who aren't just beautiful based on their looks,” Scarantino added. “I tagged people who I think are beautiful for who they are.”
Bellows also tagged women in her life that she found represented beauty in every way.
"I tried to tag women from all different places, who are both beautiful and definite individuals,” said Bellows. “My pen-pal from Kazakhstan isn't going to take a picture similar to my best friend here at SHU, but they're both going to be gorgeous. If you're tagged in this, do it. Even if it isn't really your thing. It'll be good for you, I promise."
You can find the #20BeautifulWomenChallenge on Instagram with the hashtag reaching over 700 thousand pictures. Post your own selfie and join the challenge.
Stephanie Gomulka can be reached at stephanie.gomulka@student.shu.edu.
