The “crunchy” platform on TikTok that originally began as a response to COVID-19, and an urge to prioritize healthy living has since turned into a series of fear-mongering posts attacking everyone on social media- especially parents. These “crunchy” influencers are most often parents who advocate for the environment and a more natural health approach. Said influencers started by preaching how natural and organic products are better for kids, adults and that less chemical use is best. Now, many “crunchy” videos that will come across parent’s “For You” page spew facts about how food dye, inorganic products, microplastics, et cetera will result in kids getting cancer, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), autism or any other scary diagnosis for parents to hear.
Lyndsey Dose, the North Polk Dean of Students and mother to two young children, spoke about her perception of what “crunchy TikTok” is and how social media standards affect parenting.
Dose described “crunchy Parents” as “[p]eople that are very holistic, but [she] think[s] it is kind of like CrossFit, like if they’re crunchy they talk about being crunchy. They want people to know that [they] don’t do this or [they] do this… [She] think[s] it is basically in your face a little bit.”
While parents are sharing posts about what they do and do not feed their kids or take part in, some of these parents are more extreme than others.
Dose explained, “[she] do[es] think there is a sort of a superiority over…‘I’m crunchy I’m a better mom than you,’ [she] do[es] think there is that other side of TikTok as well. Really it is not even all about crunchy, there are the working moms versus the stay-at-home moms and it’s not just black SUVs versus white SUVs. It is not just crunchy. [She] think[s] TikTok is just a place for people to feel better about the lives they lead.”
In an article for Newsweek, Laura Gene, a mother who feels she once belonged to the “crunchy community” tells the story of how she struggled with her mental health as she became a new mother and after joining the group for help ended up having a very negative experience.
Gene tells how “[she] use[s] the metaphor of a frog in a boiling bathtub. At first, the water temperature is perfect and the frog is really happy. Then it gets a little bit hotter, but because the frog’s body has already adjusted to that heat, it doesn’t notice the increase in temperature and it escalates from there—until the frog has boiled to death. That is what this felt like.”
What originally began as nutrition advice and natural alternatives to processed products instead turned into a nightmare for Gene.
Gene divulged “[she] had totally stopped trusting in modern medicine. At one point after giving birth, [her] anxiety was so bad that [she] thought [she] might have a brain tumor and [she] still didn’t go to a proper medical professional. [She] went to the same anti-vax doctor my child and [her] husband went to, they didn’t offer vaccines in their office, it was really hard because [she] thought that everyone was out to get me.”
These ideas of anti-vaccination and avoiding Western medicine to treat Gene’s mental health issues did far more harm than good and she continues to advise other parents not to follow in her footsteps.
Gene wraps up her thoughts on the community as she “…didn’t know what a “crunchy” lifestyle was, it’s not like [she] thought: “Oh look at this group, who is so glamorous, I am going to join them.” [She] just fell into it. [She] want[s] to put a worm in people’s ear. Let them know this whole situation exists and there are ways you can spot it. It may not seem obvious at first, you may not realize you are on a pipeline, but if you take a few steps back, maybe you can see the red flags.”
