First, let’s get something straight: Filters aren’t the enemy—but they’re also not the answer.
When TikTok announced a filter ban for teens, the headlines made it sound like a win for body positivity. But here’s the uncomfortable truth: Removing filters doesn’t fix the problem—it just removes the bandaid.
Drew Barrymore captured the bigger picture in her open letter Phone Home about her decision to take away her daughter’s phone. She’s terrified (aren’t we all?) of what they’ll see online—and worse, what they’ll think of themselves.
But she also said something that gets to the heart of it:"You can’t keep your kids from the world forever... but it’s still terrifying to know what they’ll see and what they’ll think of themselves because of it."
She’s not wrong. But the issue isn’t just what they’ll see—it’s what we’ve all been taught to see. And that lesson didn’t start with TikTok.
The Problem Isn’t New—But It’s Growing
The TikTok filter ban might feel like it’s aimed at teens, but let’s not pretend adults are immune. I’ve worked with women—visible, powerful, accomplished women—who refuse to post a photo without running it through multiple apps first. Not because they’re vain, but because the world has convinced them that their natural face isn’t “shareable.”
It’s not about a pimple or a bad angle; it’s about living up to the impossibly polished standard we’ve all absorbed for decades. Filters didn’t create this issue—they just made it easier to mask.
Here’s the bigger problem no one’s talking about:
✨ The world profits off our insecurities.
✨ We’ve internalized the idea that the unfiltered version of us isn’t enough.
✨ We think the solution is fixing ourselves instead of fixing the culture that created this mess.
Filters aren’t inherently bad. But when they become the default, we stop asking, “What’s wrong with this standard?” and start asking, “What’s wrong with me?”
To Every Woman Feeling This Pressure
Drew’s fears for her daughter mirror what so many of us feel for ourselves. We don’t just see this in teens—we see it in women of all ages, scrolling, editing, and second-guessing.
What’s worse is the shame that comes with it. If you’ve ever felt like you’re not “above” the filter game, let me tell you something: It’s not about willpower. It’s about a culture that’s stacked against us.
The TikTok ban might make headlines, but it doesn’t solve the real issue: Why do we feel the need for filters in the first place?
Here’s what I know from working with thousands of women:
The Camera is a Mirror. It doesn’t just reflect your face—it reflects how you feel about yourself. That’s the root we need to dig into, not the lighting or the angle.
Beauty Standards Are a Scam. The polished, poreless ideal we’ve been sold? It’s not real. The sooner we stop chasing it, the sooner we can reclaim the power we’ve been giving away.
It’s Not Just About Teens. Adults are struggling too. Women everywhere are editing their photos—not because they want to, but because they feel they have to.
What We Can Do
So where does that leave us? Here’s my take:
Start with one photo.Take it, look at it, and let it be yours. No filters. No edits. Just you. Because if you can’t see the beauty in that frame, no app or algorithm will give it to you.
Have honest conversations.Drew’s letter is a great start. Let’s talk about this with our friends, our kids, even ourselves. Why do we feel the need to edit? What would it look like to let that go?
Reclaim your image—for you. In Photo Club, we don’t use filters—not because we’re “above” them, but because we’re working to undo the pressure that makes us feel we need them. This isn’t about perfection. It’s about power.
The Real Revolution
The TikTok filter ban is a headline, not a solution. The real revolution starts when we stop asking, “What’s wrong with this photo?” and start asking, “Why do I think something’s wrong with it?”
It’s not about the filter. It’s about reclaiming how we see ourselves—and realizing that what we’ve been searching for was always there.
PS:
As a Gen X mom of a teen myself—and someone who has quietly, and now not-so-quietly, wrestled with self-image—I feel this deeply. This is why I created my Method. It’s not about taking away tools like filters; it’s about empowering us to see the beauty we’ve been trained to overlook in ourselves and each other.
This is a bigger battle, but it’s one worth fighting—for our kids, for ourselves, and for every woman scrolling through a screen wondering if she’s enough.
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