This past week, I watched a YouTube video by Simplynessa15. She has over a million subscribers and is only 18 years old. In her video, she talks about the big lip trend. I agree with her 110%, let me tell you why:

First off, Kylie Jenner, or any other celebrity, did not invent big lips. Facial features are genetic. As someone with larger lips than what is considered "normal," I am floored when asked, "Are your lips real?" Yes, that is an actual questions I have been asked multiple times. I am surprised at the questions adults will ask me, as well. For example, "So, what ethnicity are you?" But, I will save that rant for another article. Some questions are considered rude to ask a stranger, both of those questions fall into that category.

Let me preface this by saying, there is nothing wrong with lip injections or plastic surgery. Of course I support body positivity and embracing yourself, but if it makes you happy and more confident, go for it. I don't see anything wrong with being happy. But, do not think that big lips just came out of thin air because a celebrity got lip injections.

To be honest, I had no idea I even had "big" lips until the 8th grade. There were girls who made fun of me for having larger lips and boys who made degrading comments because of them. I remember asking my mom if I could get lip reductions. I hated that my lips were a topic of discussion for anyone. I already picked myself a part, no one else needed to do it for me. Eventually I got over it and decided to embrace them.

Now, I love my lips. I think they make me stand out, in a beautiful way. But, that doesn't mean we get to set that as a beauty standard. Wake up people. Kylie Jenner might have made big lips famous, but humanity has been around way longer than her and I guarantee big lips have been too. Stop teaching young girls they need to look a certain way to be beautiful. Instead, teach them to love themselves and embrace the beauty God gave them. In the world we are living in, we need to be lifting each other up rather than putting them down.

My lips are not a trend.

Thanks for reading - Sydney