Ever since I was a young girl I have grown up around different aspects involving the external features of women. What she looked like on the outside versus the sacred, amazing and interesting qualities that she had on the inside seemed to override what is truly imperative deep down.

Whether I was skimming through various types of magazines, sitting down at a doctor's office, or watching different fashion events on the television, I was exposed to a certain amount of physical beauty, but also at the same time, to many things that altered my mind for a long duration of time.

Our society has made women out to be something they truly aren't for the majority of the time. What ever happened to the beautiful curves and drop dead, gorgeous figure of actress and model Marilyn Monroe? In my eyes, and I hope in many others, her body and her confidence in regard to how her body was made was and still should be idolized.

A woman is a woman. And, reading that line, many may wonder the meaning behind my statement. Well, to elaborate further, I mean that we as women are all biologically built differently based on our gene pools, where we are from, etc. Realistically, there are women who weigh more than others. There are also women who weigh less than others. Women can be tall or short, have long torsos or short torsos, you name it. But why does that even matter, society? What relevance does it truly have? I, personally, do not see a problem with differences between others' physical appearances.

Although these women can be differentiated from one another physically, they are allbeautiful in their own unique and intriguing ways.

Sadly, light is shed on the absolute, dire need to be what the general population of our society feels is the "perfect" way to look.

Let us take skin for example. Society has taught us even from TV commercials that it is in our best interest to invest in numerous makeup products to cover up our faces if blemishes, scars, or basically any type of mark seems to exist on our faces and bodies. Having smooth, silky skin without any mark on us is what is expressed to be considered "desirable."

Well, society, here's my response to that. Nope! This is completely and utterly unacceptable, in my mind at least. For the longest time, especially during my teenage years, I would walk around in shame caking layers upon layers of cover up onto my face in order to cover up my uncontrollable acne. I was ashamed of the true me. I thought to myself at the time, if the models in all these magazines seem to have this perfect skin, then shouldn't I look like that?

Later in life, I then came to my senses that no, I should be proud of who I am and what I look like. And, all women all over the world no matter how their appearance presents, should be proud of themselves and happy, too. I mean, hey, beauty is in the eye of the beholder isn't it?

I know it isn't the easiest of things to go looking in the mirror 100 percent of the time and have a huge boost of confidence, but I would suggest ignoring the ignorance that society has shed upon women, and try your best to find that confidence within. News flash, no one in life is perfect. Perfect isn't a realistic concept to be fixated on. However, every single woman on this earth has unique qualities to them that make them astonishing, gorgeous and stunning in their own individualized way.

And, as Amy Bloom once said, “You are imperfect, permanently and inevitably flawed. And you are beautiful.”

Xoxo,

Ally