Lauren Michelle Smith, Girl About Earth

Thought via Path

I don’t mind the word dilettante. A dilettante means someone who does what he loves. -P. Beard – Read on Path.

Everybody hates Marissa Meyer.

So I’m watching Makers. And I’m getting kinda concerned that no one’s talking about women who don’t identify as feminists. And then Marissa comes on and says exactly what I’m thinking.

“I don’t think that I would consider myself a feminist. I certainly believe in equal rights, I believe women are just as capable, if not more so, in a lot of different dimensions. But I don’t have that sort of the militant drive and the chip on the shoulder that sometimes comes with that.”

If she’s going where I’m going with this, the word feminist is a lot to live up to. And it’s defined by two groups: the movement and the people who had to sort of sit back and watch that movement. And there was militancy and there was passion and there was anger. The word is dated and connotation exists in a bygone era that I have no right to be associated with.

I can go braless. I can file complaints at my job and take legal action without being blackballed (at least I think I can). I can do a lot of things. And I’m not saying that the struggle is over, I’m just saying I would never call myself a feminist.

Please don’t hate me if you identify as a feminist. I’m not a woman hater, I just can’t place that label on the injustices/rights I fight for everyday. They are so complex and multi-layered, how dare I elevate or degrade one or the other?

You’re beautiful. You. Are. Beautiful.

This morning at the gym an older woman I take spin with was making herself up in the mirror. I was thinking about how obnoxious I find her because she talks loud and in a very nasal tone and I simply don’t imagine I would want to hang out with her outside of our Monday morning class.

Anywho, as she blushed her face and glossed her lips another gym-goer and said to her, “You look so pretty with your makeup on!”

She meant well. I am sure of that. But I just want to take this opportunity to tell every one of you that you are beautiful. You feel you need makeup because our society has told you that the only way to change is from the outside in. If you care for your body, eat in moderation, drink water (hydrate like crazy), you will see your outside start to change. You don’t need makeup. You don’t need it at all. You just have to believe that your unique gorgeousness is yours and all yours and you are worthy.

Believe.