It doesn’t matter how you grew up / are growing up.
Instagram or magazines.
They. ALL. Sell. You. Unrealistic. (And racist). Beauty. Standards.
And it starts early! Messing with young (mostly) girls' sense of worth. I hate this! And I can’t even get started on how everybody looks the same now.
How can't we just stop and appreciate the realness of people? It is such a vulnerable position to be real and honest and that is what should be celebrated, in my opinion.
We have so many filters, so many steps from the actual person to the photo that is posted or published. There's makeup. There are filters. There's photoshop, facetune. There's the social media glamourous influencer lens in which we see those photos. The millions of followers that automatically validate what we are seeing - no matter what it is.
Not to mention cosmetic surgery, fillers, etc. People are looking more and more alike. People are more and more chacing the Instagram Face. (click, you can learn more about it)
And, hey. I don't blame those people (mostly women) who do that. They were also brainwashed into what is "supposed" to be beautiful. But they are also helping to perpetuate this impossible (because not even they look like that) beauty standard that makes young girls develop eating disorders, self-esteem problems, body dysmorphia, insecurities, and so on - and carry those through their adult life.
And by the way, why do we need to be beautiful to have value?
Answer: WE DON'T.
Our value does not depend on our beauty. Our intelligence does not depend on our beauty. Our talents do not depend on our beauty. Our ability to contribute to the world also does not depend on our beauty.
It sounds so cliche, but beauty - as it is seen - fades. Our intelligence, wisdom, talents, contribution, only grow.
So, let's start appreciating people's minds, skills, talents, intelligence, wisdom, instead of their flesh. I know, this speech is so cheesy, but I don't see things changing as fast as they need to. While we speak, the beauty industry is making yet another billion dollars out of our insecurities and need for chacing validation in beauty.
All bodies are valid.
Video recommendations:
PLEASE Let Me Be a Basic B in Peace - by Tee Noir
Beauty is in the eye of…the Colonizer? - by Khadija Mbowe
Why do all these influencers have the same face? - by Khadija Mbowe