After seeing how Keke Palmer became a trending topic on Twitter due to Internet haters bashing her over a cute natural-faced Snapchat selfie, I felt compelled to write. I didn't want to write to necessarily defend Keke because I know that it's deeper than just her and any other celebrity being publicly slandered. It's about the bogus beauty standards imposed upon women. It's about celebrating real natural beauty. It's about accepting who we are as people. Keke is definitely an inspiration to me and so many other young people in this world. She is one of the few celebrities who allows us access to her world. We love her because she is transparent about her personal journey to becoming the authentic person she is today. Why bash a person who is only being true to themselves? Keke looks like a beautiful young lady with no makeup on. I don't see the big deal.
I know how hard it is to love yourself in this world. The world is full of people who are waiting to tear you down at every turn. It is up to you to stand tall, speak up, and be secure in who you are. But, what if you are struggling with low self-esteem and depression? As we all know, celebrities are people too. They eat, sleep, breathe, and crap just like we do. So, why are we so quick to judge them? Why do we project our negativity onto their lives? Of course, having an inside peek into the lives of our favorite celebrities can be interesting and entertaining. To go to the extent of dissecting and slamming a person's picture is just screaming "I care too damn much about the next person's life". I mean, saying someone is abusing drugs is not really a kind thing to say, especially on social media where the world can see. Let's be a little bit more responsible of what we say to and about our brothers and sisters.
Social media gives people an unsolicited voice to spread their agenda. If a troll wants to troll, they can easily do it without any repercussions. And, people are free to have their opinions. However, do people ever think before they type? Do they know that perhaps other young people who may very well look up to Keke see the hate that Internet haters are throwing her way and will think twice about uploading their own natural-faced selfies? People don't understand that everyone is hurting. We all are just trying to overcome our own personal demons that we're too afraid and ashamed to expose on the Gram. Seeing one person loving and being themselves gives other people the license to do so. What if she was feeling beautiful just like any other person and wanted to showcase her beauty? Who are you to tell her what and how she should look like? Which brings me back to my point: Who decides what is beautiful?
I'm tired of hearing guys say "I like natural girls" and then when you come around with your Afro and no makeup, they have the audacity to complain. I'm tired of hearing my fellow women makeup-shaming women and then getting hateful when they see women without their false eyelashes on. I'm tired of hearing women shaming women who choose not to wear makeup or wear their hair a certain way. It's like there's no winning in either situation. With all the conflicted messages in the world, it's difficult to find your place as a young person. There is too much information and opinions to digest. Sometimes you lose yourself trying to find yourself. What it comes down to is learning to love yourself to the point that nothing people say will break your smile. That's why I can applaud people like Keke. While everyone else is talking mad crap about her, she's somewhere living her life, achieving her dreams and ignoring all the B.S. And that is a true example of someone that is internally beautiful. Beautiful is as beautiful does.