Hot Topic: Beauty

"Oh no, it's another one of those articles about women's self-esteem and beauty and ugh let me just click the tiny square x on my tab," I hear you mutter under your breath. Well, in a way, it is. In another way, it's not. This issue has been so overdone, and you and I have read nearly every perspective and every argument regarding this. There's a reason why it's overdone. Because the message never seems to get to us. People online who talk about it always give these pseudo-inspirational speeches about beauty and it just doesn't cut it. Not for me, and definitely not for people who look like they have fallen from the ugly tree and hit every branch on the way down, and then got beat up by the entire forest. I watched this video of Dustin Hoffman breaking out in tears talking about his experience of being a woman. And I just laughed, because it's something all women go through, and Hoffman just realized it. 

Let's get started:

I hate seeing 'you are beautiful' written everywhere. It has been so overused that that line makes me feel as special as receiving a Hallmark card on my birthday. That line is complete and utter bullshit to the nth degree. The word beautiful means to please the senses and the mind aesthetically. So beautiful means that you are both physically attractive, and that I also want to unwrap that exterior and make love to your wonderful personality and mind. I hate this line because, oh god, I'm going to get a lot of heat for this aren't I. 

I don't think everyone is beautiful.

There are some people who are downright terrible, and I mean backstabbing, fake, shallow, manipulative, attention-seeking people. Sure you can argue that they are 'much more than what you see' and that people have layers and layers of depth that I will never comprehend. I see that argument, and I will raise you Ted Bundy. I will raise you extortionists, murderers, bullies, drug lords, adulterers, and corrupt politicians. I will raise you people on this earth that have driven others to death, people who are pathological liars, people who are selfish and refuse to do anything for anyone else. There are some people who I find dull and vacuous. So, no, not everyone is 'beautiful on the inside'. There is good in everyone, that's true, but it doesn't mean that the good will overcome the evil. Unlike sappy films, the villain rarely ever repent in real life. They go on life being an absolute nuthead because this isn't Disney, and you cannot sing your way out of their villainous grip. 

Before you take out your pitchforks and rally your village, sit your fine ass down and hear me out on this one. Not everyone is beautiful on the outside. Gasp. I know, I know. This isn't what inspirational speakers tell you! This isn't what those quotes you have stitched on your pillows say! "Everyone is beautiful in their own way!" You scream from behind your laptop screen, which shines brighter than your future. Oh wait, I hear the age-old argument coming from one of you, "there will always be someone who thinks you are beautiful!" 

Fuck off, those are just two lines that people tell other girls so they won't seem like a complete bitch. The harsh truth is that some people are just natural eye candies, and others are natural eye broccoli. You have to admit that you have seen attractive girls and thought, "whoa she is gorgeous!" and you've seen really unattractive girls and thought, "what is that." So don't go around saying that you think everyone is beautiful when there are some people that stop you in your tracks and force you to call animal control because you think a walrus is on the loose.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, that is true. It is also relative to the time and place. In some countries, being overweight is a sign of wealth and is encouraged, thus is a beautiful asset. Some tribes scar themselves or chisel their teeth into fangs because it is considered beautiful in their community. In Ancient Egypt, women used to permanently dilate their eyes with drops of belladona (sidenote: this increased the likelihood of glaucoma) to give a dewy look, and Queen Elizabeth used a lethal combination of vinegar and lead for beautiful porcelain-white skin. There is always a beauty trend in every era, from feet-binding to Thai neck rings. Why? Because they want to be physically pleasing. Because they don't want to be that particular era's definition of ugly. 

Ugliness have existed side by side with beauty. Bathsheba (wife of King David...if your Bible knowledge is total crap) was described as beautiful. Even Cleopatra was described as breathtaking. So if you, reader, think you're ugly, then you might be. Because there are people who are ugly, there are people who are pretty, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with believing that. So stop hanging banners that say 'society is wrong about beauty' because society has always been the one to dictate what beauty is and what ugliness is. You don't hear about people in Ancient Egypt having picket signs complaining about the unbelievable beauty standard. 

Is it hard going through life being judged solely by your looks? Extremely. Does lookism exist? Very much so. Will you be treated worse by strangers because your looks is not up to standard? Yes, definitely. Will you get perks because you are a hot piece of ass? Hell yeah. Are looks important? Yes, and anyone who says otherwise are kidding themselves. 

So it's okay that you're ugly. There is nothing wrong with thinking that. There is nothing wrong trying to be society's definition of beautiful, because it's been this way since the dawn of time. However, no matter how much you care about your looks, don't let it cripple you and hurt your life. Because what people forget, is that beauty is just your shell. You have to work on both your looks and your personality. Some girls think that their appearance can carry their dull personality, but it can only get you so far. Polish your shell, but make sure that there's something worthwhile dwelling inside it.