In The 21st Century, Loving Myself Is Radical Feminism | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

As A 21st Century Woman, Loving Myself Is The Greatest, Most Radical Form Of Feminism

Some may argue it's the most radical idea women can do these days.

1045
As A 21st Century Woman, Loving Myself Is The Greatest, Most Radical Form Of Feminism

A few weeks ago, I was scrolling through Snapchat and saw Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Vogue "Get Ready With Me" video displayed on my For You page.

Like many millennial women, I love makeup and learning what other people's process looks like.

But the most insightful part of these videos, specifically Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez's video, is her message about accepting ourselves for who we are.

While getting ready she says "Our culture is so predicated on diminishing women and preying on our self-esteem, and so it's quite a radical act—and it's almost like a mini protest—to love yourself in a society that's always telling you you're not the right weight, you're not the right color, you're not the right, you know, whatever it is," she says. "When you stand up and say, 'You know what? You don't make that decision. I make that decision,' it's very powerful."



Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's Guide to Her Signature Red Lip | Beauty Secrets | Voguewww.youtube.com

This message stayed with me, and I could stop thinking about it.

Our society is always telling women how we should and shouldn't dress, what makeup styles are in or how we should and shouldn't look.

While I like staying up on specific trends, I should not be making choices to look a certain way based on what society deems as right.

I agree with the congresswoman; accepting yourself is the most radical act women in this decade can make.

It is hard to love ourselves when gossip magazines shame celebrities for gaining even the littlest bit of weight or for stepping outside without a full beat.

Fashion magazines, although getting better, are filled with thin women only five percent of women look like naturally.

We have this picture of what the "perfect" body type is. Even me, a working model, finds it difficult to accept the way I look every single day. Instead of being filled with negative thoughts, I should find ways to love myself.

Reality television shows like "The Bachelor" or "Big Brother" show these flawless looking women with perfect skin, hair, and bodies, all who have quickly risen to fame.

No wonder women and young girls struggle with self-love and acceptance.

As a society, we need to stop overthinking scenarios that feed into our self-doubt. Instead of dreading the things that we aren't, let's focus on all of the beautiful qualities and powerful attributes we have, the parts of ourselves which make us all special and unique, instead of perfectly editing negatives on Instagram.

Beauty is an inside job, and to truly love yourself we need to accept who we are.

Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez inspires a lot of women to fight for equality. While I still love makeup and will use it as a way to enhance who I am, I think we all need to remember that the best form of feminism is to love ourselves and all that we are, flaws and all.

Report this Content
Vivien Leigh
Revelist

I've lived a whole 21 years with an RBF (Resting Bitch Face), so naturally, I go through most of these struggles on a daily basis.

And before you ask, yes I'm fine. No, I'm not mad. This is just my face, so take it or leave it! To those of you who have been #blessed with an RBF, you'll probably relate to these more than you'd like to:

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

Iconic Duos: Timeless Legends

From Luke and Leia to Beyonce's twins...

774553
Luke and Leia from Star Wars, a iconic duo
Lucasfilm

“Name a more iconic duo... I'll wait." OK, well, if you insist. In no particular order, here's a list of 100 iconic duos that seem to be timeless.

SEE MORE: This Is The ICONIC Disney Sidekick You Are To Your BFF, According To Your Zodiac Sign

Keep Reading...Show less
Relationships

A Candid Letter to My Best Friends Ex

Because this is the real form of torture you deserve.

483
middle finger
Photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash

What's up Asshat,

I've composed a list of things that I wish upon you, and they're harsh and cruel. These things are things that I wouldn't wish upon my worst of enemies, not even that Starbuck's barista who always screws up my order, not even him. You fall into a whole other category of hate. You surpass Starbucks barista. Congratulations, I'm actually a pretty nice person, making you worthy of every single bit of torture I wish upon you. What are these things I wish upon you you might ask?

Keep Reading...Show less
Entertainment

College Life: As Told By Bob's Burgers

If there's anyone who understand the struggles of college, it's the Belcher family

1137
Bob's Burgers

College is a time of gaining independence, exploring new things, and copious amounts of Netflix. If you're like me, you often find yourself laughing at the sheer ridiculousness of the situations you find yourself in. Here are ten times Bob's Burgers accurately captured college life.

1. What you're pretty sure your upstairs neighbors do at 3am every morning.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

Why Theater Kids Are the Greatest People Ever

Supportive and spontaneous human beings are the best.

853
Theater Kids

Throughout school, the theater department has always been my go-to place with go-to people when I need advice, a dance party, or just someone to listen to me vent.

You never know what's going to happen when you're dealing with theatre or what kind of characters you'll encounter. We have too much fun doing anything! One time in my senior year acting class, we spent an entire class period watching Bob's Burgers, and it was the greatest class period ever.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments