You are beautiful, too

I was recently talking to a friend of mine. She is young, only a freshman, and she didn't think that she was pretty. She has very distinctive Korean features and complained about them. She seemed to be insecure because she didn't fit in the conventional description of beauty. So what is beauty? It got me to thinking. The media portrays what are distinctly "white" features as beautiful. All women achieve to have that straight hair that easily styles, the thin body with good breasts and straight, medium-sized nose.

But ethnic girls - you are beautiful too. You truly are. I don't care if your hair is nappy, an afro, or so stick-straight there isn't anything you can do with it. Luscious bouncy ringlets or waves are fine too. I don't care if your eyes are 'chinky', far-set, or dark brown. Green and blue eyes are pretty, but brown eyes hold depth and warmth. I don't care if your nose is small and bridgeless, flat and round, pointed, or crooked. I don't care if you're top-heavy, bottom-heavy, or completely curve-less.

Ethnicity is beautiful.

Don't feel ashamed of yourself! Shake those hips, purse those plump lips and embrace your flat features. We come in all shapes and sizes and all of it is gorgeous. Everyone has beauty. Everyone. Please don't forget it. Don't compare yourself to a false image on a movie screen. I love your dark skin, your brown skin, black skin, yellow skin, red skin. Maybe your hair is too thick, maybe your nose is too big, maybe your bottom half is lighter than your top half because you tan on your face and not your legs. Maybe you're too thin and don't have a rear or breasts. Maybe you have too much of one, or just too much. Maybe you think you're too heavy. Too chubby. Too round, too straight. Forget all of that.

I feel like women who have distinctive features feel like they are unattractive. I know I feel like that too. But why change yourself, why get liposuction and breast augmentations or reductions or fatty-eyelid removal surgeries to fit someone else's beauty? You have your own, and you should cherish it. It gives you character, it gives you a look that is you that nobody else has. And if a man (or another woman, for that matter) doesn't appreciate it then you are better than them. Love yourself, because that is the absolute very least that you deserve. Don't cheat yourself.