I have recently joined TikTok, one of the most trending social networks among people of all ages. I had some reserves, to say the truth. However I was surprised to find an amazingly inclusive community. At first, as most adults say, I thought that the app was all about young girls and boys dancing on camera: there’s nothing wrong with this type of videos, but actually you can find so much more.

There are beautiful trends on TikTok that are truly linked to teens’ interests and needs. Infact, many creators can understand young people’s problems and struggles because they themselves experience them too. For this reason TikTok makes you realize that you are not alone, and thanks to this support many guys have found a reason not to give up on themselves.

For example, it’s very common for users to put their preferred pronouns in their bio. It means that they specify how they would like to be referred as (like she/her, he/him, they/them). In this way they ensure not to be misgendered and at the same time they show support to the trans community by normalizing the right use of pronouns. Besides, many people are fighting against the absurdity of gender norms: for example, some parents show how they use neutral clothing for their babies. There has recently been a trend on TikTok in which boys wore skirts, dresses and high heels while girls wore suits and ties, to show that clothes have no gender.

TikTok's wholesome sideOf course, the body positivity movement landed on TikTok too. For example, some artists create paintings and sculptures to help everyone embrace their insecurities, such as acne, cellulitis, stretch marks and so on.

TikTok is also used to spread awareness on mental illnesses, such as eating disorders, depression and anxiety: many creators use the platform to share their recovery journey and inspire others. On the app there are also professional psychologists talking about suicide prevention and tips to overcome common difficulties. Of course this type of content can’t substitute the help of a certified therapist in real life, but it shows how a social network can be an useful educational space. Moreover, there are also scientists and sex education experts online. Their advice is very popular among people of different generation, because of the lack of instruction that there is often on these kind of topics.