The No Make-Up Gallery
My favorite moment from last year’s No Makeup Week was when I first saw the galleryof photos women submitted. Scrolling through, I felt astonished by how unique everyone looked. I realized that with makeup, we were all sort of painting on the same face—the same exaggerated lips, the same big eyes, the same even skin. Everyone looked so much more interesting without these things.
The gallery prompted responses like “Everyone is so beautiful!” and “Such natural beauties!” It seemed set up for responses like this, in a way, but still—it bothered me. It was the idea that we needed to be seen as beautiful to be worthy. “You are naturally beautiful” was never meant to be the project’s message.
On day six, in the bathroom during a meeting with an editor, I think, damn, was this the realization I was waiting for all along? Your value is not your looks. I think of the “You are Beautiful” mantra, a street art message later co-opted by bloggers. I think: “Maybe you are not beautiful. But what about your other qualities?”
Important.
(via kylamcfaterson)
