"When I first learned that nobody could love me more than me, a world of happiness previously unseen was discovered."
So begins 17-year-old Savannah Brown's three-minute takedown of every societal standard forced upon women. Just like Lily Myer's "Shrinking Women," which captivated us in October, every second of this poem has power. Brown charges that society perceives confident women as narcissistic ("since when was loving who we are made an offense by morons that don't matter?") and buries these same young women's self-worth so deeply within themselves, that it temporarily disappears:
Sometimes when I need to meet the me that loves me, I can't find her.
A reminder that the mirror is meant to be a curse so I confine her in my mind.
But when he or she shouts "Let me out," we're allowed to listen.
Brown wrote and performed the poem in response 16-year-old Nash Grier's virally-despised video "What Guys Look For In Girls." Grier, who has 4.2 million followers on Vine, is joined by two friends in the video denouncing girls who are "obnoxious and loud," don't shave their "gross" body hair, and "play hard to get" but not "too" hard to get.
Brown slays him, but it's clear the poem is more about her -- about women and the process of self-discovery and love -- than anyone trying to tell them how to be.
You don't need any miracle cream to keep your passions smooth hair free,
or diet pills to slim your kindness down.
And when you start to drown in these these petty expectations,
you better examine the miracle of your existence.
You're worth so much more than your waistline.
You're worth the beautiful thoughts you think,
and the daring dreams you dream, undone and drunk off alcohol of being.
But sometimes we forget that.
Thank you for reminding us, Savannah.
CORRECTION: A previous version of this article stated that Nash Grier has 4.2 Vine followers. It has been updated to reflect the accurate figure, 4.2 million followers.
Related
Before You Go
