I Am Not Your Doll

Today I wanted to try drawing, something I haven’t done for a while. I decided to go for something simple and quick and finally decided to draw a very random girl. While drawing her eyebrow, I thought, “It isn’t too thick, is it?”

What if this girl is someone who hates getting her eyebrows done? Like me? (I’ve never tried it and I don’t intend to) Why would such a thought occur to me in the first place?

I’ll tell you why, somehow I have been programmed to think that way because, well ‘standards’. Girls are supposed to have perfect eyebrows, perfect hair, perfect skin, perfect nails and what not. If you don’t have long eyelashes, society dictates that you magically extend it using makeup that costs hundreds of dollars. I’ve never owned makeup and I probably never will because I loathe it. I have nothing against people who wear makeup because they like it. It’s the people who wear makeup to live up to the standards set by others that I feel for. Don’t wear makeup to hide your scars, be it contracture, keloid or acne. Wear makeup because you love it.

I remember hanging out with my girlfriends once. While they were discussing the shades in Kylie Jenner’s lip kit, all I could think was, ‘Aren’t they all red? What’s the difference?’ Apparently, I’m supposed to know it because I’m a girl. Nobody cares if you don’t know how to pay taxes; you’re obligated to know the difference between an eyeliner and mascara. Which, I don’t know and honestly couldn’t care less. If I tell someone about a massacre they won’t bat an eyelid but if I mention that I haven’t painted my nails since December 2014,they’re appalled. What kind of world are we even living in? This is why E.T. won’t come back.

It’s not just girls that have to maintain certain standards. Guys need to love sports, they can’t love the colour pink, and they can’t have long hair. If you’re a guy and you want to paint your nails, you shouldn’t be ashamed. If you’re a girl and you want to survive on deodorant for a week instead of bathing, it’s okay (I’ve tried it and let me tell you, deodorant>water and soap). Don’t be embarrassed by what you love. Embrace it. As long as it’s legal and won’t harm anyone, do what you love. You’re perfect the way you are. Tell yourself that every single day.