It is quite clear that society and the media has a specific type of person that is constantly portrayed as the most beautiful or desirable. In reality, the earth is much too diverse to fit into one certain mold. Below are some physical features that are commonly underrepresented. Let us cherish and embrace them!
1. Prominent noses
The beauty industry constantly supplies pictures of people with small noses and forget about those with larger, flatter noses. Both are beautiful, and anyone with any kind of nose shape deserve to have themselves represented in a beautiful way.
2. Monolids
Monolids are overlooked in Western beauty and discouraged in Asian beauty, yet they are so charming. People all over the world are born with monolids and should embrace them for all of their elegance.
3. Cellulite
There are tons of unrealistic expectations in the media, but cellulite seems to be one of the most common. Millions of people everywhere have dimpled skin and should feel empowered by it, not ashamed of it.
4. Thin Lips
It is commonly believed that the plumper your lips, the more attractive they are. Thinner lips are not always displayed in the beauty industry but are just as valid and luscious as bigger lips!
5. Dark Skin
Even though we were #blessed with this year's "Black Panther," there is still a huge void of people with darker skin in the media all over the world, including Asia and America. People of all shades and colors deserve to feel worthy and graceful, especially those with underrepresented skin.
6. Freckles/Moles
PSA: Freckles are completely adorable. They're polka dots for your body! Too often people in the media try to cover them up, but freckles and moles are unique to every person and deserve to be seen.
7. Natural/Un-plucked Eyebrows
As someone with large, bushy eyebrows, people I grew up with would make fun of their hairiness and untamed nature. People with bigger eyebrows and people who choose not to pluck them should feel confident and beautiful in whatever way they choose to style their brows.
8. Round Faces
So often, people with slender and ovular faces tend to dominate the beauty industry, but plenty of people in the world have rounder, larger cheeks that deserve their appearance to be shown.
9. Birthmarks/Natural Discoloration
People like Winnie Harlow have defied the expectations of a "beautiful" girl and showed the world that skin discolorations are special and breathtaking. Anyone deserves to have their choice of whether or not they want to cover up, and should feel confident in either option.
10. Brown Eyes
Growing up with brown eyes, society and everyone me taught me that brown eyes were inferior and not as beautiful as blue or green eyes, and I wish I had known that none of that is true. Brown eyes are just as stunning as lighter colored eyes, no matter the hue.
11. Acne/Scarring
There is rarely a time where people in the media, especially the modeling industry, do not cover up their acne or skin blemishes. This promotes unhealthy expectations of one's skin, as there is no one with completely pristine skin. Acne, pimples and scarring should be normalized, not demonized.
12. People In Wheelchairs/Prosthetics
Rarely do we see disabled people represented in the media, but people like Muniba Mazari make it a necessity. People with physical disabilities deserve to have their presence seen in a way that does not dehumanize them but normalizes them.
13. Elderly Men And Women
It always amazes me with the amount of time some people choose to put into "anti-aging" types of solutions — growing old is a wonderful and miraculous process. Everyone needs to see that wrinkles and aging effects are normal and nothing to be ashamed of.
14. Plus Size Men And Women
People like Ashley Graham have completely changed the modeling game, making it more plus-size friendly and inclusive. Throughout history, the formula for beauty was the skinnier, the better. Luckily, people are starting to embrace natural curves for all of their beauty and glory!
15. Red Hair
Red hair is such a unique and interesting feature that some people "dye" to have! In recent years, we have been able to see people in roles like Beverly Marsh from "It," Mad Max from "Stranger Things" or Cheryl Blossom from "Riverdale" that show how exceptional that fiery hair can be.
