I saw this tag on Instagram a few days ago, and it seemed like a great idea!
I would post it on IG, but.. SG gets a first because I actually like this pic.
So... those of you who follow me on IG, know or at least can tell, that I wear (on a daily basis) NO make up, whatsoever. Why? because I'm a lazy human.
In the morning I just wake up, make breakfast, eat it and go to work. I live like 7 blocks away, but I'm a slow morning person, and I need to eat (really eat) a good breakfast.
Thank the gods (and genetics) I do not have an acne problem, or any skin problem on my face.. so "where is my "fault"?", you ask, and I tell you: my butt.
Yes! my cute lil bum... you see, I've got stretch marks in my bum. Why? I have to fucking clue. I have never gained a lot of weight and then lost it, so the only possible reason is growth. From a young age I was the tallest in my classroom, and then I stoped growing taller... but then, the stretch marks came in!
Until a few years ago I was very aware about them. I love the beach, so of course in the summer time I think about them (the stretch marks), and of course when I shoot my first two sets (with the gorgeous Anemona) I was consious (i think i'm missing a C in that word), about my butt.
Some photographers like editing it, in some pics you just can't tell they are there... weird, but well, they ARE.
But this years in SG have taught me some important lessons about myself, and one of those is: we are not perfect, in any shape or form, but we are still beautiful. Look around you, look at all those amazing hopefuls. You see every race, shape, size... with or without tattoos, with or without scars, different types of scars, different memories, different pasts. But it makes us who we are, and we should be proud about it.
We live in a society that is always telling women (and men, but not THAT much, lets be honest) that we are not enough. We are not pretty enough, sexy enough, white enough, skinny enough, smart, cunning.. just, never enough. We are taght by society, that our most valuable asset is our physical appereance, but at the same time we are shamed if we love ourselves, if we OWN our bodies!
So fuck society! I am in SG as a big fucking middle finger to society, and to every asshole that dared bully me and called me names. For every ex boyfriend or girlfriend that tried to put me down, tried to shame me, tried to put me down so they could feel better.
I am here owning MY body, loving MY body. The vessel for the most important part: my sould. And I was given this body to love it, to cherish it, to take care of it and to live with it.
We cannot live in fear, in shame, in sadness, because we will never be some ideal. We are not perfect, or maybe we are. It doesnt really matter.
We choose who we are, no matter were we come from, what we have done until this moment. We have to love ourselves, before we can love another. We have to love ourselves, because it should be instinctive, a primal need, the base for everything else.
With our faults. With everything we dont like about ourselves, because its ok if you dont like this or that, and if you want to change it, go for it! you have that freedom.
So yeah, I've always had this, not quite speech, but this way of thinking about beauty and body and freedom.
Love yourself. Say fuck you to society. With all their beauty rules, and gender rules and fucking stupid rules about how we should feel about ourselves.
That is my message. And like this project said "Start a revolution, stop hating yourself".
