Labels

Sometimes I think about all of the titles we give for people based on their beliefs. Feminist, Liberal, Conservative, Egalitarian, Libertarian, Empathetic, etc. But when I think about all of the beliefs I possess and all of the things I'm still unsure of I find it hard to ever pick a label.

For instance, I feel strongly about breaking the stereotypes of women in order to progress the idea of equality between the sexes. But at the same time, staunch feminists would probably look at me and laugh. I frequently visit Jezebel.com, a feminist blog. Today they had a post dedicated to "Bridalplasty" a new reality tv show where the winner gets free plastic surgery before their wedding. For the most part Jezebel puts down the idea of the show, but between the lines they obviously have strong feelings about the idea of plastic surgery in general.

I've had a nose job. I got it the summer after my senior year of high school before going to college. As a kid I was made fun of constantly for the size of my nose and I was always so self-conscious about it. I mean, I was getting made fun of for something I had absolute no control over. I was born that way, if I had the option I obviously wouldn't have 'given' myself a big nose at birth. So, I got the surgery and guess what? My self-confidence was restored and I felt great. At the same time, I finally graduated high school, was never going to see those mean people ever again if I didn't have to, and was growing up. So was my confidence attributed to the surgery or to the fact that I was growing into myself and finally given the chance to start fresh? I'll never know, but I'd like to think the surgery opened my eyes to the fact that I could start fresh and be whoever I wanted, so a little bit of both.

It's hard for me to identify myself as a feminist while, at the same time, knowing that others would never see me as one. But the thing is, I don't get my hair done, and I didn't have the surgery in order to be better for those around me, but instead I do this stuff for myself.

I think it's a common misconception that if you spend a half hour putting make up on, an hour doing your hair, and you have plastic surgery, that you automatically are a 'fake' person, or that you're propelling the image that society wants you to be. Because maybe sometimes this is the case, but for me, these things aren't for other people. They're for me. They make me feel good.

In my eyes the feminist movement is about having the confidence to be a great woman, as well as an equal. So in reality, what does it matter where that confidence comes from?

If I could go back I would still have gotten a nose job. It doesn't make me any less 'me'. In fact, I think it helped me discover that I was a 'me', and not just an open target for mean people.

I think people get so caught up in labels that they lose sight of the fact that no one can fit into a cookie-cutter ideal. Everyone's views, opinions, actions, etc. will vary. Call it contradictory or hypocritical, but I'd rather call it reality.