To combat body shaming, teens on Twitter are using black and red markers to decorate themselves with blemishes, then revealing their “inner beauty” after removing the marker and, in most cases, applying makeup or styling gel with the hashtag #DontJudgeChallenge.
The trend is said to have started with blogger Em Ford, who posted a video displaying mean comments from a picture of her face without makeup, then positive comments on an identical picture, where the only change was the application of heavy amounts of concealer, lipstick, and eye shadow.
The video was intended to reveal how obsessed society is with body image.
“We’re so used to seeing false images of perfection, and comparing ourselves to unrealistic beauty standards that It [sic] can be hard to remember the most important thing – You ARE beautiful,” Ford said.
Soon after its creation, #DontJudgeChallenge was lambasted for implying that people with acne, glasses, or unruly facial hair are ugly, and tweeters used the hashtag to celebrate the beauty all people regardless of any physical defects, even the ones the hashtag originally mocked.
This explains the purpose of why ppl are doing the #DontJudgeChallange ._. pic.twitter.com/4oJUIX4WKK
— Raneem Nasser (@Raneem_Ns) July 8, 2015
#dontjudgechallange is ridiculous. Glasses, unibrows, or acne doesn't make you ugly. Stfu.
— Ani Caribbean (@AniCaribbean) July 8, 2015
the #dontjudgechallange is 100% judgemental
— LSD Δ (@ThirdMinded) July 8, 2015
I loved this video. This the only #dontjudgechallange I like. pic.twitter.com/P65jNVocjf
— Kurosaki (@MillerThaGod) July 7, 2015