The Feminine Urge

Body checking videos on TikTok typically entail creators showing off, evaluating or comparing body parts or facial features to a trending soundtrack. If creators are conventionally attractive, these videos yield a lot of social praise in the form of likes and comments. Because of the nature of the TikTok algorithm, videos that perform well are quickly amplified, flooding the feeds of impressionable adolescents with videos that strongly incentivise adhering to conventional beauty standards. Named after the ironic meme, The Feminine Urge is a video installation that demonstrates the dark and unsettling nature of these trends and their role in platforming eating disorder-related content.