Let's read...

I used to look at all the magazine covers near the checkout line at the grocery store when I was younger, and sometimes the cover would show a celebrity with the headline, "Here's what she really looks like." And I wanted to see, obviously. Um, I wanted to see what was underneath, and I wanted to see the flaws. Everyone wants to see the flaws of another person because we want to see glimpses of our own insecurities in them. And we want to know that we aren't the only ones. From a young age, we are unknowingly being trained by magazines, marketing, and all forms of media into thinking that having cellulite or not wearing makeup is worthy of being publicly shamed. So there is no way in hell that as young women digesting this media, we weren't all going to try and hide those parts of ourselves from then on. We aren't born with these insecurities. We are told to be insecure about certain things. We are conditioned to feel ashamed or embarrassed about certain parts of ourselves. The world is not going to reform tomorrow. We can't rely on those who profit from our perceived flaws to change their ways. There is no easy fix to the idea... the ideas of women that have existed for hundreds of years. So that leaves us with one option, which is changing it ourselves.

Let's follow Lili Reinhart...

I used to look at all the magazine covers, / near the checkout line / at the grocery store / when I was younger, / and sometimes the cover / would show a celebrity / with the headline, / "Here's what she really looks like. // And I wanted to see, / obviously. // Um, I wanted to see / what was underneath, / and I wanted to see the flaws. // Everyone wants to see / the flaws / of another person / because we want to see / glimpses of our own insecurities in them. // And we want to know that we aren't the only ones. // From a young age, / we are unknowingly being trained by / magazines, / marketing, / and all forms of media into thinking that having cellulite / or not wearing makeup / is worthy of being publicly shamed. // So there is no way in hell that as young women digesting this media, / we weren't all going to try and hide those parts of ourselves / from then on. // We aren't born / with these insecurities. // We are told / to be insecure about certain things. // We are conditioned to feel ashamed or embarrassed / about certain parts of ourselves. // The world is not going to reform / tomorrow. // We can't rely on those who profit / from our perceived flaws to change their ways. // There is no easy fix to the idea... / the ideas of women that have existed for hundreds of years. // So that leaves us with / one option, / which is changing it ourselves. //

Let's read...

Showing what's real with no filter and certainly with no shame. You are helping the movement of strong, modern women when you show the parts of yourself that we have been forever told to hide. So as a first step, I encourage you to find a healthy balance between expressing the natural, vulnerable side of yourself with the glamorous, contoured side. As much as I like to share photos from shoots and red carpets, I think it's much more important to show what I look like the other 99% of the time. Some days I feel strong and confident and other times I'm sucked into the rabbit hole of awful comments where strangers are criticizing parts of myself that I wasn't even aware of. So how do I let every day be one of those victorious days where I feel invincible? I don't... I don't know, I don't have the perfect solution, but I have discovered some things that do help me have those better days. I started to purge myself of content that made me feel less beautiful on a daily basis. I unfollowed the accounts on Instagram that made me question the shape and curves of my own body. I also started living a more active lifestyle because I wanted to feel healthy on the inside which required some thoughtful effort on my part. But I wanted to know that I was healthy and strong without having identical measurements to those other women that I was seeing.

Let's follow Lili Reinhart...

Showing / what's real / with no filter / and certainly with no shame. // You are helping / the movement of strong, / modern women / when you show the parts of yourself / that we have been forever / told to hide. // So as a first step, / I encourage you to find a healthy balance between expressing the natural, / vulnerable side of yourself / with the glamorous, / contoured side. // As much as I like to share photos from / shoots and red carpets, / I think it's much more important to show what I look like the other 99% of the time. // Some days I feel / strong and confident / and other times / I'm sucked into the rabbit hole of / awful comments / where strangers are criticizing parts of myself that I wasn't even aware of. // So / how do I let / every day be one of those / victorious days / where I feel invincible? // I don't... / I don't know, / I don't have the perfect solution, / but / I have discovered / some things that do help me have those better days. // I started to purge myself of content / that made me feel / less beautiful on a daily basis. // I unfollowed / the accounts on Instagram / that made me question / the shape and curves of my own body. // I also started living a more active lifestyle because / I wanted to feel healthy on the inside / which required some thoughtful effort on my part. // But / I wanted to know that I was healthy and strong without having identical measurements / to those other women that I was seeing. //