Makeup, clothing, hair style, way of acting. These are all things people will accuse me of doing for someone else. More specifically, people expect females to do certain things for males.
But I don’t do these things for you. I do them for me.
Every morning when I put on my makeup because I want to. I put on tight clothing or clothing that shows off my body because it makes me feel confident. These are decisions are things I do for myself, not for the public eye.
When people ask me why I wear makeup constantly or why I dress a certain way, I am confused. Am I not allowed to do things for myself? Is the weak women only allowed to do things to please the almighty man? We live in a world where makeup is seen only as something girls use to cover up our flaws. While that is one reason someone can wear makeup, it is also an art form and a way to express ourselves. I love being able to do my makeup and go big with contour and bold lips or just being simple with some eyeliner and mascara. It is something I take pride in. I get told by people that I shouldn’t need makeup or that I am prettier without it. The thing is, I know that I look good without makeup. I will joke and say I am ratchet or gross, but I know that I am still pretty without makeup. Saying that I do things for someone else, even after I say I do it because I enjoy it, is demeaning and makes it seem like I should be living my life and making choices to please others and not myself.
Let me make one thing clear: If you want to look nice for someone, you can. That is your decision. Sometimes it can be nice to look nice and hope someone notices. But don’t do it because society wants you to.
I don’t want my sisters growing up in a world where we, as women, are forced to cover up our flaws or do/don’t do certain things for others. I want them to grow up as confident people who make their own decisions. At this age, they don’t wear makeup. They don’t feel like it, and I respect that. They are still beautiful. If they decided they wanted to do their makeup, I would gladly help them and encourage them to express themselves. But makeup and fashion are things I enjoy, not things that I would force on them because I enjoy it or because they would be “more accepted” or “men will like them better”.
I don’t do things for you. I do them for me.
