Labels

I won't make my post too complicated. I just wanted to address something we touched on in class Monday: the idea of labeling, which in and of itself is actually quite complicated.

We are all victims of "Labeling" in a sense. I mean it's the first thing that happens to most of us when we are born; we are given a name. As we grow up, we find only more labels, some that we choose and others that we somehow acquire, whether we like it or not.

Growing up for me, my "labels" were not that complicated...or so it would seem. I was white. I had very blonde hair and bright blue eyes. My dad and mom were happily married with steady jobs and we lived comfortably. I'm fortunate I guess, because I can be labeled the "typical, All-American girl!" But of course it's not that simple. Of course being blonde and white does not make you an American. That is such a stupid idea, but for some reason it is somewhat of a stereotype or a far-fetched notion.

I never really felt any discrimination, at least I never worried I would meet it. But that's not to say it does not happen, even to me. For a lame example, I was a work only two weeks ago and one of my co-workers told me she was getting a boob-job, for lack of a more scientific word. She told me that she had everything and she was happy with everything...except for her breasts. She told me that to be a woman, you had to have large breasts. Without them, you couldn't be sexy or attractive or wanted. You couldn't belong.

I don't know why it stung me so much. i mean I almost cried as ridiculous as that is. Clearly the woman was insecure about her ownself, but it DID affect me. I mean I'm by no means a double-D chest size. And in that moment, though my own brain said, "Erin, this is stupid. Boobs don't make you a woman. Boobs don't make you sexy," I still couldn't shake a feeling of hurt and disgust.

I recalled this in class the other day when we were speaking of plastic surgery. I also recalled it when I was reading Talk-Story, when the notions of American Women, White women, blonde women were brought up. I don't really know how to end this post, but that's just what was on my mind. In the end, it is clear that people label or have certain ideas in their minds about the way people should look or act. Labeling, in a sense, is a way of connecting or orienting oneself towards others.

I guess, even though I'm still working on my own self-image, like most people my age, I am proud to say that I will not fall victim to those who try to group me or those who tell me I am not a beautiful woman. Everyone should feel beautiful, sexy, and mostly know that beauty and sexiness come from within...as cliche as that is.