Starting with the basics, a culture is defined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary as “a particular society that has its own beliefs, ways of life, art, etc.” I’m sure we can all think of examples of culture such as races, religions, or even generations. Quite often when we imagine a culture we picture a group of people in a physical setting. We may picture a Native American tribe seated together in a powwow or a Muslim family kneeling down for prayer. In both examples, these groups have their own special beliefs and practices. Yet there are cultures that exist not in a physical world, but a digital world. These are internet cultures, otherwise known as cybercultures. The groups of people that make up an internet culture may not meet and interact in person, yet they may come together on websites such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, etc. or on cell phone apps such as Instagram.
The FitGirls Guide fits into this category of cybercultures because its main platforms for operation are entirely based online. It is virtual and mediated by technology in many ways. The ways FitGirls meet and interact with each other are through Instagram photos, Facebook posts, and Twitter tweets. These posts range anywhere from before-and-after pictures to testimonials to progress updates. On each post, other FitGirls can then comment with blurbs of encouragement, agreement, or other personal anecdotes that fuel and foster this positive community.
