“There is nothing more rare, nor more beautiful, than being unapologetically herself; comfortable in her perfect imperfection. To me, that is the true essence of beauty.” -Steve Maraboli.
The concept of women always feeling the pressure to uphold a high and “perfect” standard of beauty is nothing new. It has been part of our culture for generations. The only difference in the past several years is a new form of receiving the approval of others regarding a woman’s physical appearance; the selfie. It has become as simple as taking a snapshot on your phone, uploading it to social media, and then waiting to see how many likes and flattering comments it receives. When a photo receives what is considered a sufficient amount of likes, we feel good, we feel validated, and we feel beautiful. But why is our beauty diminished into being something that is determined by how others see us? More importantly, how does this affect how we see ourselves?
Lucie Hemmen, a clinical psychologist, pointed out in an interview with San Jose Mercury News that “When we get so distracted by the marketing of ourselves, we can lose touch with our authentic identities and struggle to build real relationships.” Selfies become a generator of and perpetuate low self-esteem when utilized in attempts to gain approval from others. When women become focused on the idea of creating a desired persona through posting a selfie, such as dressing provocatively or using extensive editing in order to receive maximum amount of likes, it becomes damaging to their mood and self-confidence. They are not embracing who they truly are, which inhibits them from growing as a person and being comfortable in their own skin. Unfortunately, the negative affects do not end there. Frequent selfie posters may be viewed by others as attention seeking or desperate, potentially yielding unfavorable effects on their social interactions.
That being said, selfies are by no means “all evil” or completely detrimental. The key, as in most aspects of life, is having the ability to be in control. Selfies only hold a negative connotation when they are used as a means to determine self-worth. Rather than posting a selfie to find out if you are beautiful, selfies should be posted because you feel beautiful. Beautiful may be when you are without makeup or have it on. It may be in a hoodie, or in your favorite top. Beautiful is when you realized that your individuality is what grants you true and unique beauty, and it is definitely okay to share that realization with your friends via a selfie. It is important to always remember that, whether you receive 200 likes or two, your beauty is who you are underneath. It cannot be measured through the lens of any camera, but rather is captured by the lens of your own heart, when you embrace the confident, fierce, and beautiful woman you are, inside and out.
