Pretty Mean Girls


So I have this bad habit of reading ALL of the gossip blogs at some point in my day, almost every day.  Like dads read the newspaper with their morning coffee (lol).. Somewhere after my morning devo, and after my green smoothie, I find myself planning my day and perusing the blogs. I honestly don’t understand the infatuation humans have with celebrity lives or why it’s such a lucrative business. For me, it is reminiscent of high school and being in everyone’s business but your own. I get enticed by the pictures, video clips, and the silly subject titles on the stories. I know it’s a waste of time and every time I read them my brain takes a nap from true stimulated thinking, but I can’t help it.

Although, this is a guilty pleasure of mine *Kanye shrug*, I also notice something I am actually saddened by.  In these blogs are the perpetuation of pitting women against each other. The comparisons of who looks/dress better or who has the most money/best mate. It is like an online "mean girls" clique. Now, I have been in a mean girl’s clique before, I cannot tell a lie. But one thing I never did was blatantly put down another woman or diminish her self-worth based on the clothes she wore, etc. I have always been sensitive to how I made other people feel and would not tear down another person based on their personal style, quirky character traits, or other unique qualities. My mean girl clique was mainly mean to the boys and sorry fellas but you probably deserved it. HA!

What I have realized through my avid blog reading is that there is a terrible perception of women being sold to blog readers and only we can change that perception. They sell the idea that there are tiers to beauty and only the most attractive, rich, and fashionable are at the top.  Now this is seemingly true and most often people categorized under these traits are placed on a pedestal. But should it really be accepted as truth? What is really beautiful? Who are we to judge on which of Gods creations is better than the other? How have beauty standards changed over time? (..this could go on forever)

Now, I know that there are celebs I enjoy looking at over others but I refuse to forget that people I am looking at and evaluating are humans too. They have feelings, families, cares, and worries that God cares about just the same. Now if we are comparing celebs so brutally, what are we doing to each other? How are our middle/high school students and college girls sizing each other up and putting each other down based on looks?! It is terrible. No one should feel ugly, or less wanted based on societal standards of beauty.

When I went “natural”, I remember a lot of women being upset I had cut my long hair for a short curly afro. I loved it. I had to fight the daily pressure to have my hair flowing like Beyoncé, because right now she is what many look to as the standard. I like Beyoncé as much as the next person, but I also felt beautiful with my short fro. Her long tresses are not the only style for women in the world! She even has a song "Pretty Hurts" about the pain women go through to be beautiful. Yet, other women constantly made me feel like I was crazy for my hair change. I wore my hair in the beautiful natural state for about a year and enjoyed it! I used my hair as a form of expression; grew it out, straightened it, added clips, and was even versatile with the color. All simply because like I change my outfits, I like to switch up my hair. IT ‘S MY PREROGATIVE. What I am hinting to is the fact that we place way too much pressure on each other about looks rather than inner beauty. Before I put on my makeup I do a heart check with God. If a pretty girl has an ugly heart, nasty personality, and a troubled/jealous soul, is she really beautiful? NO, NO, AND NO. What I am asking YOU the reader to do, is to rethink beauty and find something beautiful in each and every one. I am definitely not perfect in this area, but trust I have asked God to work on my heart. I’ve asked him to make sure that I am not looking at the world’s standards of beauty, but instead looking at the heart of man just like he does.

Luke 6:37

“Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;

Xo STAY BEAUTIFUL,

Gabby