I came across this video today: Would you be happy with perfection?
It reminded me of the reaction people in other countries have when they try to understand why I see myself as imperfect. There is usually the follow-up question from them as they try to understand my worldview "but if you were thinner, wouldn't that make you someone else?" or "...but aren't you the most perfect version of you?"
Over the years, I have placed a lot of effort into tuning out negative messages about women's body images. But it takes a lot of work, I will often see really attractive women (by mainstream standards) and wonder why I couldn't look like them. Every time that thought comes into my mind I force myself to think: "Okay...would you want to spend 30 minutes on hair, 60 minutes on nails, 30 minutes on makeup, how ever long at the gym?" and then I remind myself that, I wouldn't, to look the way I do reflects that I made different time and financial investments than others have. In fact, we all make those decisions based on what we enjoy doing in life, or what we have access to. So we look like what we have and what we enjoy doing. So a woman who enjoys putting on makeup will spend more time putting on makeup, whereas a woman who enjoys reading will spend more time reading.
It is easy to think of this rationally, but it is another to face the world looking a way you are not expected to. That is really difficult task and one that requires a lot of work, but I am relieved to see in this video that the women were somewhat weirded out by the appearances of them that meet mainstream standards. They are almost upset that what makes them perfect versions of them has been deleted, and that is sooo reassuring.
It reminded me of the reaction people in other countries have when they try to understand why I see myself as imperfect. There is usually the follow-up question from them as they try to understand my worldview "but if you were thinner, wouldn't that make you someone else?" or "...but aren't you the most perfect version of you?"
Over the years, I have placed a lot of effort into tuning out negative messages about women's body images. But it takes a lot of work, I will often see really attractive women (by mainstream standards) and wonder why I couldn't look like them. Every time that thought comes into my mind I force myself to think: "Okay...would you want to spend 30 minutes on hair, 60 minutes on nails, 30 minutes on makeup, how ever long at the gym?" and then I remind myself that, I wouldn't, to look the way I do reflects that I made different time and financial investments than others have. In fact, we all make those decisions based on what we enjoy doing in life, or what we have access to. So we look like what we have and what we enjoy doing. So a woman who enjoys putting on makeup will spend more time putting on makeup, whereas a woman who enjoys reading will spend more time reading.
It is easy to think of this rationally, but it is another to face the world looking a way you are not expected to. That is really difficult task and one that requires a lot of work, but I am relieved to see in this video that the women were somewhat weirded out by the appearances of them that meet mainstream standards. They are almost upset that what makes them perfect versions of them has been deleted, and that is sooo reassuring.
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