Women have been manipulated to think that beauty is what we see on television, advertisements, and what is trending in society. Beauty has become reserved for those who put the right amount of makeup that society deems “acceptable.” Society has restricted beauty just to physical features and nothing else.
It’s a harsh truth, but it is the world we are living in. Most people don’t care to look beyond physical attributes.
We develop friendships, alliances and relationships merely based on the beauty, how we dress, body types and if we are “pretty enough,” which is a blatant example of how superficial society has become. American society is heavily obsessed with perfection, making it easy for people to become trapped in this regressive movement striving for perfection.
Beauty for me, however, encompasses more than just physical looks. When I think of beauty, I think of my interaction with the world, the vibrations I give off to others, and how I treat myself and other people. My beauty is in my heart and mind.
Growing up, I was always part of the ugly ducklings in school (or so they said). I had big features. I was the tallest girl in my class with big bold eyes and the typical ‘’big African nose.” To top it off, I was an athlete, so I also had a masculine build. My peers nicknamed me “light bulb” because of how big my eyes were.
Sometimes I’d look into the mirror and feel sorry for what I saw. I am aware of the reality of the ugly thoughts that we all face, feeling as though we are not beautiful enough.
Growing up feeling ugly left a scar that I will carry for the rest of my life, but more importantly it taught me to find beauty in things other than physical looks. Because I thought I wasn’t gifted with beauty, I put my energy into sports, reading and being a good person. Maybe evil can be a powerful teacher, if we look at the wisdom of its negativity. Beauty is so much more than being pretty.
We need to begin on a journey of self love. I especially echo the sentiments of women of color, who are constantly under so much scrutiny to live up to Eurocentric standards of beauty.
We need not be discouraged by the fact that we don’t look anything like celebrities. If ever someone should tell you that you are not beautiful, you should realize that this has nothing to do with you, but has everything to do with their limitations on beauty. How dare society tells us what body parts to shrink, and what to keep?
We are all unique and that’s what makes us beautiful.
Wadzanai Dzvurumi is a marketing senior.
