Somewhat recently, I received a message in my YouTube inbox. It was from a twelve year old girl living in the Bahamas. She wrote that she's always wanted to try YouTube but never saw the point as she didn't know anything about beauty or makeup.
As quickly as my soul ignited, it was subdued with sadness. I bet there are tons of girls all over the world with talents far exceeding anything we've ever seen who hold back on starting a blog or YouTube channel because they feel the same way. They don't do beauty, therefore they will never make it anyways.
What saddens me even more is that these girls probably didn't get this idea from the men in their lives either...
We live in a world that places so much more emphasis on how a woman looks, rather than what she can do and here we have a free platform where we are 100% free to do whatever the hell we want and we're still believing we have to base our experience solely around how we look. How we did our hair, makeup, or what we're wearing.
I know several may argue it's the only way for a female to get any attention, but to be perfectly honest I'm not even sure that's the case anymore. The market is so full of so many people doing identical things, I imagine it must be pretty hard to stand out. If anything showcasing your talent whether it be your writing, photography, videography, humour, interviews or advice giving may get you more attention than would jumping into an already full industry.
It's the modern day, "A woman belongs in the kitchen."
Only now it's a woman's place is a fashion blog.
So to that girl who sent me that message, or anyone who's been scared about starting a blog, if you really want to... do it. Though it may look like you can only make anything of yourself doing fashion, you've got to jump in here and do what you love. If you're passionate about it, and keep 100% true to yourself at all times things will work out how they should. I can promise you that. Plus, I can almost guarantee whatever niche you fit into there is a vast expanse of people hungry to find someone like them.
Be the change you want to see.
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I too, feel this way about the blogging world. Occasionally I'll post a little fashion, but it's not the reason I blog. I started blogging yearrrrrs ago when I was around 16. I started reading other bloggers talk about their every day lives. I don't know how popular fashion or beauty blogs were back then because I personally wasn't interested in them at the time. I more admired the girls who could write about their REAL lives publicly. And because I found such enjoyment in that, I decided to write about my own life. And even though I occasionally enjoy writing about home decor, beauty, or fashion, I still find more pleasure writing about the real stuff. And I keep doing it because all I can think about is a girl around the age of 16 stumbling across my blog and finding that it's not all about fashion and beauty. It's about living life in general. I want her to be inspired by that. Not the clothes she wears or how pretty she is. That's what matters most to me and that's why I am a blogger.
ReplyDeleteSarah
http://coffeeringsandsouthernthings.com/
Great post, we need more messages circling like this! And if someone puts forward the argument that women are only noticed for their hair and make-up, then that person deserves a slap. Only getting noticed for our hair and make up suggests that is all we are worth. Bollocks. I wrote about something similar on my other blog The Antisexism Diaries based on my experiences of being bullied at school for not being into the same things as the other girls and not knowing how to do my hair... it really frustrates me that girls who don't want that for themselves are still forced into the same box and then called a slut for paying attention to their appearance! Madness.
ReplyDeleteLucy xxx
La Lingua : Food, Life, Love, Travel, Friends, Italy
Couldn't have been well said! I used to be afraid when I wanted to start my own YouTube channel but then I realized all those YouTube gurus used to be new and didn't know anything too! I mean no matter what or where we start we won't fully know! And I agree before I did fashion or make up on my blog I would post random things! Every girl should embrace their ambition!
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I always thought that I couldn't make any other youtube videos than beauty videos, but then I discovered so many other girls who don't do that. And walked miles away from the beauty-zone and thought it was ridiculous. I now know that I can do other things, but also that there is nothing wrong with beauty and fashion videos/blogs, these are the ones I tend to read the most currenty. Loved your post xx
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ReplyDeleteBe Happy With Fashion
Be Happy With Fashion Facebook Page
Aww, what a sweet post. I am sure the girl will figure it out once she knows what she is passionate about.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment :).
http://www.thefashionstirfry.com
I LOVE your necklace!!! Such a great post.
ReplyDeleteBeth x
www.TheBritishGirl.co.uk
This was so so well said, I actually want to hug you a bit. I couldn't agree more, I know I do a little bit of beauty stuff on my blog but that is because I love it. If I had no interest, I wouldn't bother. I feel like the discourse is really distorted for young girls on youtube, that you can't make it unless you do beauty and it's simply not true. They need to show the things about them that make them unique, if that's their amazing ability to do winged eye liner then fantastic but otherwise, I want to see who they really are.
ReplyDeleteIt's the modern day, "A woman belongs in the kitchen."
Only now it's a woman's place is a fashion blog.
Too True.
This is such a great post, I wish everyone realised that it's not a case of "beauty or nothing" - there's so much to create, talk about, and share - it's crazy.
ReplyDeletehttp://likecubed.blogspot.co.uk/
this is the perfect post!! i couldn't have said it better myself. i tend to get bored of my own blog if i write about the same things over and over again, we women are complex beings, with a variety of interests and humor and we should embrace that and show it off, rather then stick to the niches we've been associated with!! and that goes for other genders too - why shouldn't men write about beauty or fashion as well?! i'm a firm believer in making content you enjoy and not giving a crap what anyone else thinks or says about it!!
ReplyDeletexxx
http://eleanorcos.blogspot.com/
Beautifully put, my friend!!
ReplyDeleteGreat sentiment : )
Plus, blogs shouldn't be about impressing or gaining as many 'followers' as possible, surely its a place of your own to express and display your own thoughts and findings… If people find something interesting in that then that is pretty darn awesome, if not, it doesn't really matter, as long as we enjoy it!! : )
Gemma x
Faded Windmills
I'm so glad I stumbled upon your blog and see this post cause it's inspiring and true. Girls don't need make up and all but sometimes I can't help feeling that I need something to make me look better and we are judge by the society idea of beauty standard which can be harsh sometimes. I agree with you that we just gotta live and do whatever that makes me happy (:
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Well said!! It's undeniable that there's a lot of pressure on women about what they're supposed to like or how they're supposed to look. I really love reading posts like this one that encourage women, great job :)
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