Ah, Face Tune: a topic that has caused so much controversy for so many acne-scarred teens and adults alike. Joking aside, this was something I had to take time to think about. I began to write this a month ago, but couldn't figure out exactly how I wanted to put it.
I have had pretty bad skin for quite a few years now, and there was an extended period of time last summer where I considered whether or not I wanted to use this app that had the ability to give me the skin that all my friends have, the face of my dreams. But I had to ask myself -- Are these the kinds of images that I want representing me? Do they actually reflect things that I value? I did give into my insecurity and use Face Tune once because of how embarrassed I was about myself. Even after posting the photo (which is actually still on my Instagram), I could immediately feel its ramifications. This seemed to go beyond what I want my brand to promote, or Instagram-induced depression, or even beyond the fact that it is a fake and fabricated version of myself. It was a clear and deliberate effort on my part to change something about myself that isn't inherently wrong. I realized that I don't want to become that kind of person. Face Tune or Photoshop do not at all relate to bettering ourselves. If you have an attitude problem or a gossip problem, then yeah, you may want to change that. But there's nothing wrong or evil about having acne, just like there's nothing wrong with having a speech impediment or hearing aids or large thighs. If we get into the habit of changing parts of us that we don't like, then we get locked into a cycle of being unsatisfied with who we are, changing ourselves on a screen so that people whose opinions don't actually matter see us in a better light, and then hating on ourselves because that 'better light' doesn't even exist in real life. I wrote a whole essay on Instagram and fantasy lives, y'all, I'm not messing around. (But on a semi-related note -- If you're really that upset with your body, have you made any positive life changes because of it? Are you eating healthy? Are you exercising?) It may not seem like a big deal, but it is. It's a problem that people are okay with this. Straight up, if I Face Tuned every picture that I post of my face, I would be failing myself. Don't fail yourselves. Rather, think about what you love about yourself, and love it even more. Here's a hot take for you: constantly verbalizing the things you don't like about yourself doesn't make you strong or self-aware, and complimenting yourself doesn't make you narcissistic. Write down three things that you really value about your personality, your dreams, or (Heaven forbid) your looks. I love my imagination. I love my work ethic. I love my eyes. Write encouragements on your mirror or stick some inside your car. You have to make the conscious decision to change the way you think about yourself, because no one else can do that for you. Get off your butt and actually make a change. Once you do, I promise it's worth it.
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AuthorI am a September baby, which may be the root of my love for fall. I love dark chocolate, popcorn, and I do actually like brussel sprouts. I'm the kind of person that listens to a Christmas song in September. (But only one. I don't want to ruin the ~magic~). Archives
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