Happy Thursday Redhawks. I hope everyone is ready to put forth their full effort and give their 110% because it’s the last week before our long two week winter break. I’m not sure about y’all, but I am stoked.

As all Dual Credit students know, the semester is ending at Collin College. Therefore, finals are this week and next week. As I was studying for my sociology final exam, I read something in my textbook that I absolutely cannot stop thinking about. 

The chapter was talking about the stereotypes on men and women and the gender roles they play in society. It was talking about certain things that men must do to preserve their masculinity and women with their femininity. As I was reading, I came across something called The Beauty Myth. 

It seemed like something like this would have several definitions, but the definition of The Beauty Myth that I read about was the notion that women should measure their worth in terms of physical appearance or, more specifically how physically attractive they are to men. 

What a heavy subject…I know! But it happens more often than we think, especially in high school. By “it” I mean girls comparing themselves to unrealistic models and feeling bad about themselves. By doing this, many girls develop diseases because they don’t look like the girls in magazines.

As a girl who’s in high school, I will say it makes sense. Obviously there’s a lot of pressure to look and act a certain way to fit in and for people to like you, but I will also say, it’s not worth it. Putting yourself through the agony of thinking that people care about what waist size you are so you can be likeable is simply not worth it. 

Another thing that adds to this pressure is social media. Nowadays, especially with people not having much to do in quarantine, Instagram and TikTok have been used much more. Instagram models, and beautiful TikTok influencers have been putting themselves out there more. Women such as Kylie Jenner, Addison Rae, Charli Damelio, Kim Kardashian, Gigi Hadid, Sommer Ray, and I could go on, are just some of the women that people claim they have the “perfect bodies.” However this isn’t true, everyone looks, acts, appears, and thinks differently. 

So the next time one of you beautiful human beings thinks about skipping a meal, or feeling bad about yourself, don’t! You are amazing and gorgeous, and loved, and the best person ever.

I hope you guys have the absolute best weekend, and I will see you next week!