Famous fashion columnist Diana Vreeland once said: "Prettiness is not a rent you pay for occupying a space marked 'female'." Truer words could never have been spoken.

Nowadays, there's a lot of focus on 'beauty' and how everyone of all body types, shapes, and sizes is beautiful. This is true, to an extent. But the truth is, no matter how 'attractive' you think you are, there's always someone who will find you unattractive. And this goes the other way too. No matter how unattractive you are, there is always somebody out there who will find you attractive. This is because beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

But the truth is, it doesn't matter. The only reason we are biologically wired to prefer certain features is that as animals, our main goal as a species is to survive and reproduce, so we are supposed to want to mate with healthy looking people so we can reproduce more, healthier, children.

Now that humans got smarter, they realized three things. One, there is a lot more to life than reproducing, and even having kids isn't for everyone. Two, someone's physical features doesn't necessarily say anything about how healthy they are. Three, we have advanced society and technology so much that unless your kid is killed in a freak accident, they are almost definitely going to survive their first few years of life.

So why does it matter if people find you sexually attractive anymore?

Although Vreeland was referring specifically to women in her quote, which makes sense since there is the most societal pressure on women to be 'beautiful', this logic applies to any and every gender.

Well, I can't speak for everybody, but I can speak from my own experience. Sometimes, I like getting dolled up, with nice clothes, hair, my contact lenses on, and a face full of makeup. And sometimes my hair is messy or badly tied back, I'm wearing oversized and tacky yet comfortable clothes, glasses, and a face full of acne.

And..hear me out. Sometimes I have hair in between my eyebrows or above my upper lip, or on my arms or legs. Yes, I, a female, have body hair, because we are mammals. Shocking, I know. And then I feel insecure and less of myself when I go out and interact with people because they aren't seeing me at my 'best'.

But I'm still me, and I don't need to feel guilty for not adhering to society's standards. I'm the same person whether I'm dressed like a glittery model or if I just rolled out of bed. My personality doesn't change, so why should my perception of myself change?

I am me, no matter what. I don't owe anyone anything, and neither do you.