Crying in the spotlight: Is it redefining raw emotional honesty on social media?

Gulf News

07-03-2025

Left: BTS' RM during the 2022 anniversary dinner, where he discussed the band's plans. Right: Beomgyu from TXT, during a Weverse Live.
A couple of months ago, Beomgyu from the South Korean band TXT, got visibly emotional during a Weverse Live. He was more subdued than usual and he recalled how much he missed his leader Soobin, who was on hiatus. Following this, he played a few songs, his eyes noticeably welling up. The fanbase was concerned and anxious, with many encouraging him 'to cry it out'. While anguished, fans were moved that he trusted them enough to show his feelings so visibly. "They have always been so real and true with us," one wrote.
The emotions run high, especially when you're part of a devoted fan base. In June 2022, BTS leader RM broke down during their anniversary dinner, while discussing painful subjects such as the hiatus, and also expressing how he would always want to keep performing for the band's fans, and never would want to disappoint them. As he later said, he has never hidden anything from his fans, and wanted to see them as they are, not just as singers on stage. The rest of the members were visibly emotional and teared up. This isn't their first time crying in public: The band has shed tears on stage, while receiving awards, and showed their most raw, vulnerable moments on camera. In 2023, Suga visibly teared up during his D-Day performances, which fans saw as an emotional release and catharsis.
These instances highlight that crying, whether it's sobbing or quietly wiping away tears, doesn't always need to happen behind closed doors. It's also a step toward breaking the stigma around 'ugly crying,' encouraging others to embrace vulnerability and share their emotions freely. What once seemed like rare, deeply personal moments are becoming more common, particularly on platforms like TikTok and Instagram, where more people are finding the courage to cry on camera.
'Why lie about being fine when we clearly aren't?'
Dubai-based media professional Aishwarya Sengupta, who recently cried in an Instagram video while performing a song, believes that crying and expressing grief are valid forms of emotional expression. "I cried because I was overwhelmed and exhausted, and I didn't want to hide it anymore," she explains. "It helps to feel a sense of solidarity and community when people reach out in support. Why should social media only showcase happy photos and videos, which are meant to reflect who we are? Why lie about being fine when we clearly aren't?"
Let the mask fall. As Hanan Mahmoud Khandil, a specialist in psychiatry, Dubai, explains, it's a way of showing their true selves, rather than a perfect image. Ally Day, a psychologist follows up on this point explaining, 'Rather than adhering to the pressure to always be happy and thriving, people might also want to embrace authenticity, and allowing themselves to be seen in their most human form. It breaks the common ideas around social media, which always glorifies someone's best life. For some, crying on Instagram isn't about seeking attention or sympathy, it's about breaking the stigma that emotions, especially vulnerability, should be hidden away. It's a way of saying, "I'm not perfect, and that's okay."
And by doing this, it helps to reduce the stigma around mental health, explains Khandil. It's a manner of seeking support and reassurance, especially if you feel as if you're not receiving from those around you. 'It does provide comfort, connection and a sense of being heard.'
When does it turn performative?
This is a tricky question to answer, explains Day. 'Quite often, our interpretation is coloured by our own beliefs. Did someone we like cry on social media? Then, most probably, we feel for them. But, is it an actress that I dislike? Then, it appears performative, even if she is crying for a good social cause. Of course, we can never really know what performative can seem in this context: Someone is crying to raise awareness, requesting help, and even if they are seeking sympathy and validation, do we just leave it at that, or dig deeper?'
Nevertheless, it's our own interpretations that affect how people process their emotions. Sometimes, as in the case of Selena Gomez, who recently sobbed on camera, it backfires. She deleted the video immediately, as people had flooded her with criticism of just demanding attention, and creating emotional content for views. 'Again, quite often, most of us have a lot of cynicism when it comes to online vulnerability. There's a hardened conditioning that compels us to believe, 'Oh, this cannot be real, because I believe this person is fake',' explains Day. While the emotional vulnerability shared online can be powerful, the backlash against figures like Selena Gomez highlights the complex nature of emotional exposure in a digital age.
Day also adds that such impressions might not be wrong either, as people do generate emotional content for the sake of clicks. 'It's common knowledge that any sort of publicity is good publicity too,' she says. Nevertheless, if a person is genuinely harrowed and upset, their emotions might worsen after seeing such reactions.
How might the trend of crying online affect the way people perceive emotional expression in public
The trend of crying online, particularly on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, is reshaping the way people perceive emotional expression in public, explains Day. This shift can have several different impacts, both positive and negative, on how society views vulnerability and emotional honesty.
It makes emotions seem more acceptable
Khandil adds, that one of the most significant effects of this trend is that it helps normalize emotional expression in public spaces, both online and offline. For many, seeing others cry or express raw emotions on social media is a powerful reminder about the old cliché: It's okay to not be okay.
The visibility of such emotions on a wide scale can help break the long-standing stigma surrounding crying, especially for those who may have felt pressured to suppress their feelings in the past. By sharing moments of vulnerability openly, these individuals demonstrate that emotional expression is a natural, human experience that shouldn't be hidden or shamed.
The more often we see others cry online, the less foreign and uncomfortable it becomes. This normalisation can foster empathy and connection, as viewers relate to others' emotional experiences on a deeper level. In the long run, it could create a society more compassionate and understanding of each other's emotional struggles.
Could also desensitise people
Or, it could go in the opposite direction. While the trend of crying online can have positive effects in terms of acceptance, it can also lead to desensitization. As emotional expressions become more common and routine in social media posts, there's a risk that people might become numb to them. In a space where people often share exaggerated versions of their lives to stand out, the emotional weight of crying could be diluted. When emotional outbursts become too frequent or predictable, viewers might stop paying attention or reacting as strongly to such expressions.
Day adds, 'This overexposure to public crying could also make some people view it as performative. With the rise of influencers and content creators, some might question whether tears are genuine or just a tactic to garner views, likes, or sympathy.'
You worry that you're in a world where so many personas are already crafted for maximum impact; you question what's real. 'This could cause a certain level of skepticism, with some viewers doubting the authenticity of the emotions shared,' she says.
Nevertheless, it comes down to what you believe, and how you are affected.
In conclusion, while crying online has the potential to make emotional expression more accepted and understood, it also raises questions about authenticity and the possible desensitization of viewers. The trend could both empower people to embrace vulnerability and, at the same time, create doubts about whether emotional expressions are genuine or just another form of content creation.
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