I am so lucky to be a woman.
I get to wear a mask
I encourage women regularly — THE AMAZING ONES THAT I KNOW, THE AMAZING ONES THAT I DO NOT KNOW — THAT WHAT MATTERS IS WHAT IS “ON THE INSIDE,” AND THAT WITH RESILIENCE AND INNER STRENGTH THEY CAN ACHIEVE THEIR PERSONAL GOALS.
I WRITE ABOUT HOW I AM NOT THE PROPERTY OF MEN I DON’T EXIST TO BE BONER FODDER, MY WORTH ISN’T MEASURED BY HOW AROUSING OR PLEASING MY APPEARANCE IS.
CERTAINLY DON’T EXPECT ME TO EVEN BEGIN TO SMILE WHEN I HEAR A STRANGER ASK, “WHERE’S THE SMILE, HONEY? WHY DON’T YOU GIVE US A SMILE?” I DON’T NEED TO LOOK GOOD TO SIMPLY BE. I DON’T NEED TO LIGHTEN UP THE MAN’S DAY. IT ISN’T MY JOB TO PLACATE THE DULL MASSES JUST BECAUSE I AM FEMALE.
I talk about beauty — BEAUTY IS SUBJECTIVE. BEAUTY IS MADE UP. WE ARE NOT ALL GOING TO BE CONSIDERED CONVENTIONALLY BEAUTIFUL OR BEAUTIFUL TO EVERYONE . IT IS AN IMPOSSIBLE THING TO TRY TO BE. WE ARE NOT ALL BEAUTIFUL.
I SAY, ERADICATE BEAUTY. FUCK BEAUTIFUL, I DON’T WANT TO BE BEAUTIFUL.
I WRITE, FORGET THE IDEA THAT WHAT YOU LOOK LIKE SHOULD MATTER AT ALL. WE WOULD NOT HAVE TO REPEAT THOSE SELF AFFIRMATIONS INTO THE MIRROR THAT WE HAVE WORTH BECAUSE WE ARE “BEAUTIFUL,” BECAUSE WE DID WHAT THE MAGAZINE TOLD US. IMAGINE THAT WHAT THE MAGAZINE SAYS DOESN’T MATTER.
Then, there’s the industry THAT THRIVES ON THE CRIPPLINGLY LOW SELF ESTEEM OF WOMEN AS PRODUCED BY THEIR OWN ADVERTISEMENTS AND SELLING JARGON — BE A BETTER YOU, BUT YOU CERTAINLY WON’T ONLY BE THE BEST YOU BECAUSE OWN THEIR MASCARA.
THE SHEER AMOUNT OF MONEY AND TIME SPENT TO FIX THOSE IMPERFECTIONS THAT THEY — AND ONLY THEY — REMINDED YOU THAT YOU HAD.
THERE WAS NOTHING “WRONG” WITH YOU UNTIL IT WAS DECIDED BY THEM THAT IT WAS WRONG, AND BUY THEIR PRODUCT AND IT WILL BE RIGHT.
WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME? WHY CAN’T I BELIEVE MYSELF?
YOU CAN’T BELIEVE PEOPLE BEHIND MASKS.
MAKE UP FOREVER MAKE UP FOREVER MAKE UP FOREVER MAKE UP FOREVER MAKE UP FOREVER MAKE UP FOREVER MAKE UP FOREVER MAKE UP FOREVER MAKE UP FOREVER MAKE UP FOREVER MAKE UP FOREVER MAKE UP FOREVER MAKE UP FOREVER MAKE UP FOREVER MAKE UP FOREVER MAKE UP FOREVER MAKE UP FOREVER MAKE UP FOREVER MAKE UP FOREVER MAKE UP FOREVER MAKE UP FOREVER MAKE UP FOREVER
I am incomplete without that mask. I am so lucky to be a woman.