Exposing the Lies
He was always there to mock me, to remind me that no man
could ever think a woman like me was pretty. He was always there to convince me
to go on another diet that wouldn’t work, all in the name of catching a man
like him; a perfect specimen, ice cold and sadistic, but beautiful. His face
was tantalizing but his assertions were foul.
He delighted in gutting me whenever I started feeling better
about myself. One day, to his surprise, self-respect surged through my battered
soul.
I snatched the mask from his face.
“You! It was you all along!”
It was then that I saw his true ugliness, and learned
another truth as well.
Having an external appearance that most people find pleasing
does not make a person beautiful. Some very ugly people have pretty outsides,
and some people who look quite plain are actually beautiful within.
Anyone who gleans pleasure from making another person feel
badly about themselves is not a person to look up to. Anyone who ridicules
another for their size, their age, or the color of their skin is the epitome of
ugliness.
At no time again
Will I allow
shallowness
To define my worth
~Tempest Nightingale LeTrope~
Prompts Used:
Tempest's Thoughts:
The writers for Team Netherworld tend to be drawn to people and characters who aren't conventionally attractive. They either do not align with societal standards of beauty, or they have other traits which make them "unattractive" under conventional scrutiny, i.e. being mentally ill or not heterosexual.
I want to share pictures of a few of the people we've featured on this blog and the reasons why they would not be considered attractive by conventional standards of beauty.
Amy Winehouse
Tattoos
Brash clothing choices
Not conventionally delicate/feminine
Ville Valo
Tattoos
Sometimes wears makeup
Sinewy physique
Copyright: vschlichting / 123RF Stock Photo
Middle-aged
Heavy build
Modest attire
Malcolm Young
Middle-aged
Short (5' 4")
Extremely slender physique (~110 pounds)
Freddie Mercury
Non-Caucasian (Parsi)
Flamboyant
Bisexual
Here's a twofer!
Stan Laurel:
Middle-aged
Extremely slender
Prominent nose
Oliver Hardy:
Heavy build
Middle-aged
Plump face
If any of these people showed up for a photo shoot at a fashion magazine, they'd be sent away with derisive commentary. They would likely be mocked by gossip rags for lacking a certain type of highly improbable beauty.
In fact, I find all of them aesthetically pleasing. I like imperfect people. I would rather look at people like these all day long than any number of so-called perfect people.
The truth is, the perfect people really aren't that perfect either.
I've always appreciated Britney Spears' willingness to have people see the unretouched photos from her Candies shoes ad. She wanted girls to see what her body really looks like without her torso and legs being elongated and slenderized. She has sturdy, muscular dancers' legs. There is nothing whatsoever wrong with her real build.
Britney, the real you is beautiful!
And all of you are beautiful too.
Love,
Tempest
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