I was watching this week’s Glee episode and was happy to see them addressing an issue instead of just singing. Don’t get me wrong, I love that show, it’s just not very issue oriented this season. Well, except gay issues, they hit on those a lot.
So, I was happy to see the kids all talking about, singing about, what they hate or what others hate about them. Rachel wanted to get her nose done. She has the standard Jewish girl nose, so I can see where she’s coming from. Finn can’t dance. Kurt likes boys. Tina hates her brown eyes. Emma has OCD. Brittany is stupid.
It’s so painful, these labels that society places on us. I’ve had them too. Big butt, Big breasts, Curvy Figure, Geek. Because of these things we think that we’re not good enough. That there is something wrong with us.
We see these people up on the movie screen and they are our role models. Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt. How could we ever live up to that standard? They look amazing and also have millions of dollars to spend on cosmetics and salons to keep them looking that way.
I like how they all wrote what they felt society hated most about them on white t-shirts in big black lettering. I almost wish we could get high school teens to do this for real. I remember high school. It was a scary time. I was always so worried about fitting in and wanting to be part of the group. I held back parts of myself and it wasn’t until I was in my mid 20’s that I found myself. I wish there was a way to help high school students begin this process so that they don’t spend 10 years figuring it out.
I’d like to salute the kids that I went to high school that decided they didn’t give a crap what others thought and were themselves anyway. Congrats to you, I bet it was hard but you did the right thing. I hope that I can raise my daughter and teach her that it’s really okay for her to be herself. She doesn’t have to be what society wants. Heck, if she keeps her current looks I already know one of her labels… Ginger. And we all know they don’t have souls.
I was a weird kid, I never felt the need to conform. Heck, I had a picture of the crew of Star Trek:TNG in my locker in high school. I did get teased a lot, and that was hard. I hope Emily can weather that if she does become as geeky as I am (and she is a Ginger too).
ReplyDeleteMy mom always said that one of the favorites things she liked about me was that I was my own person and didn't conform. Whereas, my sister is the Queen of conforming - even now as an adult.
Now that I've found myself no more conforming for me :-)
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