Who Says?

Courtesy of Heather

It’s something that has always bugged me: who says that this man or woman here is better than everyone else? Who says that she is prettier than everyone else? Who says that we must know of his/her every move? Who says we have to look, act, and dress exactly like him/her? Who says?

Catch my drift? I’m talking about celebrities. I cannot stand how a select number of people are held in such high esteem like they are better than everyone else. The media pushes us to believe they truly are better and many of us tend to believe them. The media pins these people as “gods” and “goddesses” and makes the rest of us feel like dirt. It becomes a competitive race between us to see who can look like this or that celebrity. Magazine covers scream with headlines of how we can mimic the appearances of celebrities. Whether its articles on how to achieve celebrity-like hair, make-up, style, or body, we are told subliminally that we just plain aren’t good enough. If you don’t resemble him/her, then you aren’t beautiful, perfect, or flawless. But who says they are beautiful and we, the non-celebrities, aren’t? Who says?

I can remember thinking these things from a young age actually. I remember watching on TV or glancing at magazine covers in the store wondering why these people were considered so “elite”. I wanted to know why this person here was so special, or why this person was considered so beautiful. What made them so different from me?

One of the first magazines that I ever really got repeatedly was “M” magazine. I read that thing cover to cover, reading every scoop about every celebrity focused on the pages. But after a while, I grew increasingly frustrated with the articles. I didn’t understand why this or that celebrity was so special. Why did I have to know about their love life and whom they were dating, or what they were wearing and what styles they were setting? They aren’t any different from me, so why are their moves followed religiously? It sort of made me feel like I wasn’t good enough. But that’s when it hit me. Many (though not all) celebrities live silly and frivolous lives and have little to no personalities. They are only famous because they fit society’s mold of what is considered beautiful and perfect and flawless. When I realized this, I discontinued my subscription and threw out my saved copies. I didn’t care anymore about that junk.

I’ve since switched my subscription to Seventeen magazine. Although some celebrities and certain styles/looks are still focused on, I’ve found that it is easier to breeze by these sections and direct my attention to the articles that matter to me and the articles that spotlight that I am beautiful just as I am. It’s still prominent today, egged on by the ever-present, ever-controlling media, the “fact” that we aren’t beautiful unless we resemble some celebrity or fit some mold. I reject that “fact” as fiction. I know now that beauty lies in being different and unique, not some forced mold of someone who was decided that they should be considered the epitome of beauty. Although like any teen, I have my days when I just don’t feel like I’m good or pretty enough. But I don’t turn to a fashion or celebrity magazine for comfort. I look to myself and realize that I am a beautiful person, no matter what anyone says. Beauty does not fit a mold. Beauty is in being different and unique, not in being an idolized celebrity.

I am who I am. I am not a celebrity. I am beautiful.

Who says?

I do, and that’s all that matters.