You saw it in Mean Girls – being a teenager just isn’t easy…
Regardless of whether or not you are being personally victimized by Regina George.
When it comes to appearance, it seems that teenagers always find a way to be, well, mean.
Whether you’re that “weird white girl from Africa” or “almost too gay to function”, there is always something that people find wrong with you.
Alas, you find yourself thinking if only you looked like Regina, your life would be so much easier. Perfect hair, perfect skin, and a perfect body (granted you aren’t eating those damn Kalteen bars). Everyone would love you. Because that’s what makes people love you, right? Being beautiful?
Hollywood is great at portraying idealized beauty. Seemingly perfect celebrities who have it all – fame, fortune, gorgeousness, (and sometimes, even your boyfriend *cough Selena Gomez*), grace the covers of every magazine.
Every television show.
Every advertisement.
Every everything.
The idea that looking like a living breathing Barbie doll is the only thing that really matters is literally everywhere – you can’t escape it. The message is practically stalking you – but it’s not your fault it’s like in love with you or something.
It’s tough not to get down on yourself for not looking perfect like all of your fav celebs. The media pressure to be beautiful is hard to deal with – as if you already don’t have enough to worry about (like remembering to only wear pink on Wednesday).
But why should we let media pressure define our idea of beauty?
Well, we shouldn’t.
If media has the power to convince us that only perfection is beautiful, then it should also have the power to convince us of just about anything (or at least, it should be slightly more convincing than Coach Carr telling you that if you have sex, you will get pregnant…and die).
So perhaps we should use the influence of the media to share the importance of a different message. A positive media message – one that sounds a lot more like the truth.
After all, the truth will set you free – unless it gets printed in the Burn Book, in which case it will lead to a full on riot.
But just what exactly is the truth? The truth is, as Hannah Montana says, “NOBODY’S PERFECT!”
Everyone, including all of your favorite celebrities, have their flaws!
“Yea, I have cellulite…so what?!” – Kim Kardashian
“I love the little bump on my nose!!!” – Jessica Simpson
“I suffer from acne…I’m a teenage boy!” – Justin Bieber
“I love my crooked teeth!” – Miley Cyrus
So celebrities really are just normal people, who have the same insecurities and problems we all do? It’s almost as unbelievable as the fact that Trang Pak made out with Coach Carr. But just like that rumor turned out to be true, so is this.
So today, I say thank you.
Thank you Kim Kardashian for showing girls that having a little junk in the trunk is a good thing (even if it’s not enough to save a marriage). Thank you Lady Gaga for writing empowering lyrics like “I’m beautiful in my way, ‘Cause God makes NO mistakes” (& for Just Dance, because even though there is no real message in there, that song is a jam!).
Thank you Adele for staying true to yourself and refusing to change your image saying, “Music is for the ears, not the eyes”. Thank you Rihanna, Vanessa Minillo, Annalynne McCord, and countless others for posting un-photo shopped pictures of yourself without make-up and saying things like, “No make-up…don’t care!” Thanks for posing for magazine spreads and refusing to be photo shopped, and admitting you’re not perfect!
Thank you Demi Lovato for your courageous platform of sharing your experience with bullying. Thank you Katy Perry for saying things like, “Imperfection is the new perfection”. Thank you Christina Aguilera for teaching us that “We are beautiful no matter what they say”. Because it’s true – no matter what negative things people may say, as Taylor Swift puts it – all they’re ever gonna be is mean.
And of course, no article of mine would ever be complete without an ode to my beloved boy bands. So thank you Big Time Rush for lyrics like “It’s what’s underneath your skin, the beauty that shines within”. Thank you One Direction for singing, “You don’t need make-up to cover up, being the way that you are is enough” (& thank you also for just being so adorable – call me maybe?!).
Forgive me if I go a little syrupy here at the end, but this subject reminds of one of the best quotes I’ve every heard. “People are like stained glass windows – they may sparkle and shine in the sunlight, but when darkness sets in, true beauty is revealed only if there is a light from within.” To me, nothing is more beautiful than the ability to be yourself, even under the scrutiny of the public eye.
So to all you celebs out there serving as positive role models – being living, breathing examples that beauty truly does come in all shapes and sizes – I salute you.
And while we may not be able to live in a society where we can all get along like we used to in middle school and bake cakes filled with rainbows and smiles and everyone just eats and is happy…at least we can look to our favorite celebrities for courage to be who we are and be proud of it!
Now if we can all start to take cues from this new positive media message: to love ourselves just the way God made us, well…maybe, just maybe, our lives will all be a little more fetch 😉
