Why women bashing younger girls on social media needs to stop

I have been largely inactive on social media for the past five years due to study and work commitments, save for the occasional instance when a friend shared a link they thought I might find interesting.

Even then, my engagement rarely extended beyond reading an article or watching a video. This was largely because I had made a deliberate decision to deactivate all my social media accounts.

However, during the recent festive season, while I was at home hosting visitors who stayed for a few days, I found myself fully immersed in conversations that dominate social media spaces.

That experience reaffirmed that stepping away from those platforms five years ago was the right decision.

What struck me most was not just one, but many older women in their late 30s and 40s openly bashing younger women in their 20s, some even gloating that they look younger and better than women a decade or two their junior.

What stood out was that, upon closer inspection of their profiles, many of these women looked exactly their age, despite attempts to mask it with filters and heavy make-up. There is nothing wrong with looking good in your 30s, 40s or even 50s, in fact, that should be celebrated. But seeking validation by tearing down younger women is unnecessary and deeply misplaced.

There is absolutely no justification for projecting personal insecurities onto young women simply because, in a deluded moment, one believes they look better than them.

The examples I encountered did not, by any stretch, appear younger than women in their 20s. Wrinkles and eye bags told the story of many festive seasons lived, and that is perfectly normal. What is not appealing is punching down at the younger generation.

As we move into 2026, let us try to spread positivity. Feeling good about ourselves should never come at the expense of others, especially younger women. It adds nothing of value, and it reflects poorly on those who do it. | ZAMANTUNGWA KHUMALO KwaDukuza