Remember when it was 1999 and all mainstream media companies were “The internet? We don’t know no internet!” and it took them years to catch up? I foresee the next wave of issues they will be forced to catch up in the not so distant future. My observations just based on the number of blogs, resources and discussions on these subjects all over the internet (traditional blogs, Tumblrs, Facebook Twitter, etc):
Body diversity in fashion and pop culture. There is a thirst, a need for this, reflected by the hundreds of blogs and Tumblrs featuring a diverse range of bodies and types of beauty and styles. I believe HAES was at the forefront starting this trend which quickly caught up with very stylish Fatshion blogs.
Less heteronormativity and more diversity in sexuality. Again, if the amount of blogs, Tumblrs, Facebook groups and tweets are any indication, the days of strict heteronormativity (and heteronormative monogamy as the only kind of desirable relationship) in mainstream media might be counted. I do not expect this to change in a heartbeat but mark my words, there is a very big crowd rightfully demanding this change.
Closely tied to the previous one, a radical change in the way sex, gender and identity are discussed. I expect the steady and brave work of transwomen and transmen will pay off, changing the way newspapers, TV, magazines, etc, treat the issue and present it to the public. Again, like heteronormativity, this might not happen by the end of this year, but there is a growing online community, in addition to the usual local activism creating awareness, demanding that discourse better reflects a respectful attitude to diversity.
None of this exists today on a large scale in news, tv, magazines or corporate owned websites. However, let’s not forget how long it took all of them to catch up on “teh internet” and new technologies. Why would it be different this time when they can do it five years after everyone else was already on to it?
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