In a society where we are told in every way that we must look and act a certain way, we find girls looking into mirrors and not seeing their beautiful bodies, but tiny flaws in themselves. In a society where eating disorders are a national epidemic and the average woman's clothing size is 14 but she cannot find her clothes in places other than "plus size" stores, it truly is no wonder than internalized oppression is a issue we still see in our daily lives in the 21st century. If oppression is a "negative outcome experience by a people" and a "cruel exercise of power" then how is what we say to ourselves in the mirror not a form of oppression?
You're sitting with your (beautiful) best friend and laughing about the usual things when some stranger randomly comes up to her, getting in her face and insulting her personality and outward appearance, eventually forcing your best friend to cry. Obviously you indignantly jump up to her defense, calling out the million beautiful things about her personality and appearance, not even caring about her so called flaws (which everyone has by the way) and shame the stranger for his/her rude and untitled behavior. Afterwards, you're forced to comfort your best friend, reminding her that every single thing that stranger said was a lie and that she IS beautiful, smart. and kind.
Sounds like a ridiculous event considering most people aren't that rude, but we go through this experience everyday when we look in the mirror. Shouldn't you be your own best friend and jump up to your own defense when that stranger inside of you, that little nagging voice that shuts you down as soon as you compliment yourself, insults you, demeans you, and belittles you? Why are we quick to defend our best friend when a physical stranger does this, but we just accept it at face value when that intangible voice inside us shouts at us? Obviously we're going to doubt ourselves at times, we're only human and that's natural. But often we take all this negative comments inside of us and listen to them, not bothering to comfort ourselves and remind ourselves that we too are beautiful, smart, and kind and that the stranger was just rude and lying. Just because the thought automatically pops into your head doesn't necessarily mean its true and you're just forcing yourself to believe things that aren't true when you accept them.
If they say charity starts at home, what about liberation? When fighting for the liberation of starving children in Africa or people suffering under tyrannies, shouldn't we start by liberating ourselves? We truly are oppressing ourselves by not fighting back against our tiny little (rude) voice. We're all more beautiful, kind, smart, and amazing than we allow ourselves to believe. If others can see how great we are, then why is it so hard to believe it ourselves? By internally oppressing ourselves we're not allowing ourselves to live up to our full potential. How many opportunities have we given up because we didn't think we were good enough...not trying out for the school play, not asking out a crush, not asking for that job we want, the list is endless. But its time to liberate ourselves, remember to love ourselves before we can tell others to love others. It may be easier said than done but every little action to change our mindset helps, remind yourself every day to love yourself unconditionally...find one good thing about yourself in the mirror....indignantly jump to your own defense when your stranger yells at you.
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Shanzay Kazmi
You're sitting with your (beautiful) best friend and laughing about the usual things when some stranger randomly comes up to her, getting in her face and insulting her personality and outward appearance, eventually forcing your best friend to cry. Obviously you indignantly jump up to her defense, calling out the million beautiful things about her personality and appearance, not even caring about her so called flaws (which everyone has by the way) and shame the stranger for his/her rude and untitled behavior. Afterwards, you're forced to comfort your best friend, reminding her that every single thing that stranger said was a lie and that she IS beautiful, smart. and kind.
Sounds like a ridiculous event considering most people aren't that rude, but we go through this experience everyday when we look in the mirror. Shouldn't you be your own best friend and jump up to your own defense when that stranger inside of you, that little nagging voice that shuts you down as soon as you compliment yourself, insults you, demeans you, and belittles you? Why are we quick to defend our best friend when a physical stranger does this, but we just accept it at face value when that intangible voice inside us shouts at us? Obviously we're going to doubt ourselves at times, we're only human and that's natural. But often we take all this negative comments inside of us and listen to them, not bothering to comfort ourselves and remind ourselves that we too are beautiful, smart, and kind and that the stranger was just rude and lying. Just because the thought automatically pops into your head doesn't necessarily mean its true and you're just forcing yourself to believe things that aren't true when you accept them.
If they say charity starts at home, what about liberation? When fighting for the liberation of starving children in Africa or people suffering under tyrannies, shouldn't we start by liberating ourselves? We truly are oppressing ourselves by not fighting back against our tiny little (rude) voice. We're all more beautiful, kind, smart, and amazing than we allow ourselves to believe. If others can see how great we are, then why is it so hard to believe it ourselves? By internally oppressing ourselves we're not allowing ourselves to live up to our full potential. How many opportunities have we given up because we didn't think we were good enough...not trying out for the school play, not asking out a crush, not asking for that job we want, the list is endless. But its time to liberate ourselves, remember to love ourselves before we can tell others to love others. It may be easier said than done but every little action to change our mindset helps, remind yourself every day to love yourself unconditionally...find one good thing about yourself in the mirror....indignantly jump to your own defense when your stranger yells at you.
--
Shanzay Kazmi