It’s ok, I won’t get mad.
Because it was recently women’s history month, there have been some posts listing things to call women instead of beautiful. Instead of pretty, call her smart, for example. Instead of complimenting her appearance, say how intelligent she is, or compliment her on some other quality, as long as it’s not her appearance.
I get the point, but who said you have to call a female just one thing? Why does the world have to become so extreme that you can’t even compliment someone now without people getting offended? Maybe I should be used to it by now, but I simply don’t understand. Is nothing sacred anymore? When did kindness and compliments become offensive? How about instead of words to call women instead of beautiful, words to call women in addition to beautiful?
I understand what they are trying to say, don’t just focus on how women look, but focus on their other qualities. That’s great and all, but people take it to the extreme and say we shouldn’t compliment women’s appearance at all, instead just their other qualities.
Call me crazy, but I’ve never felt insulted when someone complimented how I look. If you ask most women and girls, they would probably say the same thing. If you feel so led, compliment females on how they look. If you want to, include intelligent, and kind in there.
Today, there are so many images and models thrown in the faces of young women and girls. These “role models” are all over the cover of magazines making girls think they need to look like them. Unfortunately, those girls aren’t always told about the photoshop and eating disorders behind the covers of those magazines. Instead of healthy conversations and honesty, women focus on getting worked up because someone said they look nice. There is no balance between its okay to be thin, and it’s okay to be overweight. Instead, there is only silence. Just don’t comment on her appearance at all.
It’s nice to be complimented and feel good about how you look. Girls need to feel confident in who they are, and if you cut out all appearance compliments completely, they won’t get there. Next time you start to compliment a female, I doubt they'll try to stop you.
Today, people look for any reason to get angry at one another, label someone as a woman hater or bigot, and throw temper tantrums over simple stuff. What would happen if people took compliments and said thank you? What if someone did insult you, but you let it roll off your shoulders and walked away? The world may not change overnight, but yours may.
Why don’t we start right now with encouragement and kindness for one another? Want to compliment someone? Go for it. Feel like saying something kind? By all means, please do. If someone gets mad at you for one of those things, they’re the one with the problem, not you. Spread encouragement and kindness and don’t hold back.
