Content warning: This article contains mentions of eating disorders and substance abuse.

There has been a recent resurgence of the Tumblr girl aesthetic on TikTok. While this brought back many memories for users, the revitalization of this era also brings back a darker side associated with Tumblr: eating disorders and substance abuse.

Far Out Magazine describes the Tumblr aesthetic as “a moodier and ‘edgier’ means of expression.” The images girls posted online showed a “rebellious lifestyle” that glorified mental health issues and substance abuse. Using different filters to glamorize this unhealthy lifestyle, users would post images of drugs and cigarettes.  

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On TikTok, the Tumblr girl aesthetic has been revived and is making its rounds with a new generation. Users have been creating videos with compilations of images of girls and women who fit the aesthetic to “Tumblr Girls” by G-Eazy.

The videos often depict two aesthetics: On one hand, some of these women can be seen living a glamorous life. This can often be identified with a pink-and-white color palette, which is categorized as coquette, a flirtatious and pastel-like style. On the other hand, some of these women are seen experiencing an “edgier” life that romanticizes drug use, which is often portrayed through a darker color palette.

Despite the stark contrast between these two Tumblr aesthetics, they have one thing in common: unhealthy habits and skinny white women. In a TikTok video, influencer Scarlett Frazer who grew up during that era spoke about how “back then, everyone wanted a thigh gap” and how we should not bring this back as a trend. 

Having a thigh gap was the trademark of skinniness. The Atlantic characterizes the hyperfixation on thigh gaps with an association of “anorexia and an obsessive desire to be as thin as possible,” which does not elicit a healthy mindset.

Another TikTok user, Alyssa Mariah, otherwise known as @localhormones, calls the grungier or darker side of Tumblr “heroin chic” aesthetic since that aesthetic places heavy emphasis on drugs. Mariah also talks about how society has become more inclusive, but the Tumblr resurgence has helped re-promote an unhealthily skinny lifestyle. She explains how Tumblr pushed the “eating disorder aesthetic … [because] you had to have hip dips … your ribs showing” and more to achieve a desired look.

What’s more, if you listen closely to G-Eazy’s song, he brings attention to the issues that came with Tumblr through lyrics like, “Cause I’m in love with these Tumblr girls / With skinny waists and drug habits.” These lines paired with images of girls glamorizing eating disorders and substance abuse negatively reinforce harmful ideas.

Tumblr girls shouldn’t make a comeback. Although it may be a nostalgic time for some, it elicits a darker narrative by putting unhealthy lifestyles of drugs and eating disorders on a pedestal. In fact, these issues were so prevalent back in 2012 that the company issued a policy against “self-harm blogs” that “glorify or promote anorexia, bulimia, and other eating disorders; self-mutilation; or suicide.”

Social media is an extremely powerful and influential tool that impacts self esteem, body image and identity. According to a study published in the National Library of Medicine, “using platforms such as Facebook and Instagram has been particularly associated with a higher body dissatisfaction and the appearance of ED symptoms.”

These lifestyles are sensationalized and establish unrealistic — sometimes unachievable — beauty standards. Social media and its trends shouldn’t create a space where its audience is led to idealize these destructive methods of living. Users who post videos on the darker aspect of the “Tumblr girl aesthetic” need to recognize that some audience members are young and are easily impressionable. 

Exposure to a glamorization of eating disorders and substance abuse doesn’t leave a healthy impact; it perpetuates the problem. Instead, social media platforms should strive to promote spaces of positivity and self-acceptance, which can be achieved by not allowing for the Tumblr girl aesthetic to make a comeback.