If you use Snapchat (and you probably do) you know that it has a lot of different filters you can use. Just focus the camera on your face, swipe right to reveal the different filters, and let them work their magic on your facial structure. These filters can turn you into a blueberry, or a deer, or just add a cute flower crown on top of your head. Whether you’re a fan of using filters or not, you have to admit that they’ve certainly come up with a lot of them.

Those aren't really the filters I want to talk about.

Here. Let’s start with a definition.

“Filter (noun). 1. a porous device for removing impurities or solid particles from a liquid or gas passed through it.” (Google.)

The word “filter”can mean a lot of things nowadays. It can mean something in a fish tank, or an adjustment to the colors in a photograph, or your face being turned into a terrifying version of itself in an app. Filters are also something we apply to ourselves in conversation- ways that we mask our true meaning and the things we really want to discuss so that we don’t ostracize ourselves.

When we apply a filter, we remove things from our speech that might be considered “impurities”: social topics that are too controversial for casual dinner discussion, opinions that aren’t necessarily widespread, personal commentary that feels like it’s just a bit too personal to talk about. When we filter ourselves, however, we’re not letting people get the true view of what we actually think- just the pure, filtered version. It’s like censoring. It might make people a little more comfortable, and it might make things a bit easier to deal with, but it’s not the way that the creator really intended for it to be viewed.

It’s not always as simple to un-filter yourself as it is to put one on. In Snapchat, it’s as easy as clicking an x and watching your face go back to normal. In conversation, however, it’s more uncomfortable and awkward than that. Un-filtering yourself means forcing yourself to say things when you think it’s easier to let the topic slide. It means voicing your views in a group discussion even though it might make you feel out of place. It means talking about what you really want to talk about- not just what’s “acceptable” to talk about.

I’m not saying we should all just walk around talking about whatever comes into our heads, no matter how inappropriate it may be. But I think we should all strive to be a little bit more of our natural selves, whether that means showing support for our true political views, or just complimenting someone on their shoes when the day before you might have kept that thought to yourself.

I’m working on taking off my filters myself- first went the filter that told me that I shouldn’t talk about feminism in class. Then went the one that said I shouldn’t talk about political topics with my family. Then when I came to college, I took off the ones that said that LGBTQ+ issues were definitely off the table, especially when I talk about how they affect me. I’m getting more comfortable talking about these things. I share my views with like-minded people in hopes of gaining some new allies, and I share them with people that aren’t so like minded, people that can give me another side of the issue to think about. It’s not always easy, and it’s not always something that I like doing. But going #nofilter for the day definitely, makes me feel like people can finally see who I am- without the blueberry face.