When I was a little girl, maybe 8 or 9, I used to sit on the bathroom counter in our house, and very carefully apply lipstick, a bright pink headband, and comb my very long hair just perfect. Then I'd sit there and look in the mirror, wishing with all my might that I'd turn into Aurora, the princess from Sleeping Beauty. I was painfully aware that I didn't have big, almond shaped eyes, beautiful, perfect curls, smooth creamy skin, or a tall, thin body. I was kind of an awkward kid. But I hoped with all my might that someday I'd turn into that beautiful princess and meet my prince.
I think most little girls do this.
Then we grow up finally and realize there is no prince, and we are no princess.
But, my point here is that what I see on tv, and in movies, and in photos (hellooooo photoshop) makes me cringe. Apparently it's NOT OK to be IMperfect. And maybe not for everyone, but for me, there is still that disappointed little girl somewhere inside me asking why she can't be pretty the way she is? Why must she be perfect to be pretty?
No one ever told me I wasn't good enough, but somehow I got that message as a kid. I'm trying my best to protect my girls from that, but it's already starting. "I wish my hair was _____. I wish my eyes weren't_______."
The horrible message on social media is that if you aren't perfect, and have all the latest stuff, you aren't cool, you aren't popular, and you sure as heck aren't pretty.
Anyway, I applaud Jennifer Aniston for speaking out against jerks who assume things and print whatever they want. (you can read her article here.) She may be in the public eye, but that gives paparazzi no right to assume what they want and print it just for more sales. Goes hand in hand with tv journalism and how reporting no longer is about digging for the truth, but reporting what they want and putting their own spin to boost ratings.
Which is really concerning considering the events that have recently taken place.
