What you're about to read is a rant. It's been building in my mind for a while now, and I've got to let it out. A while back I saw Scarlett Johansson on the cover of Parade magazine with the headline, "I think I look like a boy." Come on, Scarlett--you do NOT look like a boy. You don't need me to tell you that. In the same article she went on to talk about people today being cynical and bringing other people down. Well, I'm about to call her out for bringing herself down. And she's not the only one...
Today, in Play magazine printed by the Detroit Free Press, I read this quote from Sally Field when asked what her secret to looking great at age 60 is: "It's hard for me to answer that question. I think I look like dog poop. I'm not any different from a lot of American women who want to put a piece of black velvet over the mirror when they turn 50. The good news is that I'm healthy and I'm here." Almost saved by a smidge of gratitude for life in that last sentence, the "dog poop" comment still stinks, no pun intended.
Now I don't mean to pick on Scarlett and Sally--we are all guilty of judging ourselves harshly. But if these gorgeous women who are celebrated as much for their beauty as their talent feel that badly about their own looks, what does that say for the rest of us? We're fighting an uphill battle to look as good as the images the media presents us with, and then the women who are our standards of beauty berate their own looks. You know what I think? I think it's unacceptable for women to continue putting themselves down this way! We should be able to look in the mirror and like what we see.
I know that I personally am grateful that God made me exactly the way I am. As cliché as that may sound, it is the truth. I spent most of my school years hating the way I looked. Then I got out of that bad situation and actually got to know myself. Now when I see myself in the mirror or in pictures, I know that's just me. I don't compare it to my favorite celebrities unless it's in a good way, like "Hey, I look like [insert celeb name here] when I do my hair like this." I just refuse to give in to that negative inner voice. I hate to see these celebrities doing that to themselves. All the young people who hold them as role models end up thinking of themselves in the same way, and it's very damaging.
So to the Scarlett Johanssons and Sally Fields of the world, take a good hard look in the mirror and acknowledge the beauty that is there in the imperfections. Show your fans that there is more to life than worrying about your looks! Get comfortable in your own skin and be confident in your beauty. Don't make disparaging remarks, and don't ever apologize for the face God gave you!
End of rant. New poetry coming up on Monday. Stay tuned!
