The word spectrum is defined as ‘being used to classify something in terms of its position on a scale between two extreme points’. So in ‘beauty’ terms what are these two points? A ‘beautiful’ woman in comparison to an ‘ugly’ woman? A ‘thin’ woman in comparison to a ‘chunky’ woman? How can we compare two women in terms of their looks and place them on this scale.

 

To reform the beauty spectrum we must first diversify it. This has been happening in the beauty industry for a while now but the question I want to ask is how as women in 2017 can we again advance this awareness of categorisation and the belittlement of women’s individual beauty. Today, ironically labels label people within society more than ever before. There are an abundance of categories along this spectrum which people are subconsciously placed in. It’s the abolishing of these categories that will help the development of the definition and stigma regarding ‘beauty’.

 

So how do we go about minimizing the damage which these labels cause. How do we stop allowing these labels to put us down? We create a more diverse spectrum of beauty, removing the labels. If we do not envision the scale between two extremes but rather two points of uniqueness it allows us the accept not only ourselves but the women who surround us. As I scrolled through the mass of content on Instagram (pause for some self-promo @rawnessofwomen on Instagram, go follow) regarding the scale of beauty, I came across a hashtag which resonated with me in particular, #lovewhatsthere. This is something which I really sat on and tried to dissect. LOVE WHAT’S THERE. Comparing ourselves to other women on this scale, comparing our looks, our body image, our personality, will result in nothing but self-loathing and anger. Questioning why are we like this or why can’t we be like that, rather than saying I love who I am, I love and respect my body, my soul, my heart. Reflect on what you have rather than what you don’t have. Reflect on who you are rather than who you aren’t. Reflect on what you have achieved rather than what you have not achieved. Reflect on times when you have succeeded rather than on the times you haven’t. This reflection of who we are in our rawest form can inspire us to not judge ourselves solely based on other people but rather recognise our own beauty.

 

Every woman has her own idea and concept of what beauty is and it is that belief in her idea which allows the true beauty of a woman to radiate. If you believe in who you are and in the values and morals which you represent, no one can question your beauty. Today we have such a premeditated idea of the definition of beauty, rather than understanding and encompassing the real value of beauty. How can we let something which is so powerful and rare be used as a negative? Beauty is often perceived to put pressure on women, the pressure to be beautiful rather than realising that the beauty is in the uniqueness of each individual woman. It is a case of rather than becoming beautiful through all these external factors which are constantly pushed upon us, but instead finding your beauty within and allowing that beauty to emanate outwards. That’s when we can reform the concept of beauty and embrace a more diverse and distinctive spectrum of beauty.

 

Do you know, we can change the world. We can change the stigma around beauty. We can change and eliminate the pressures surrounding having to be perfect to be considered beautiful. We can do it if we work together. If we embrace our own beauty, If we empower other women’s ideas and visions regarding the development of beauty and finally if we encourage each other to see our beauty. These small steps can change the society which we live in today. It can erase this stigma which surrounds the beauty spectrum for the generations coming up behind us. Standing together we can not only make a change in diversifying the beauty spectrum but toward helping women to face their struggles of accepting individual beauty.

 

EMBRACE, EMPOWER, ENCOURAGE THE RAWNESS OF BEAUTY.

 

Tara