A friend shared this video with me today, and I knew I couldn’t wait until the Thursday Links to post it. Katie Makkai, veteran poetry slammer, dissects the word “pretty” and reminds us what a shallow goal it can be.
Katie Makkai – “Pretty”
This, this is about my own some-day daughter. When you approach me, already stung-stayed with insecurity, begging, “Mom, will I be pretty? Will I be pretty?” I will wipe that question from your mouth like cheap lipstick and answer no.
The word pretty is unworthy of everything you will be, and no child of mine will be contained in five letters. You will be pretty intelligent, pretty creative, pretty amazing, but you will never be merely “pretty.”
And to follow that, an oldie-but-a-goodie: Erin of A Dress a Day‘s essay on the same subject (excerpt below).
A Dress a Day – “You Don’t Have to be Pretty“
You Don’t Have to Be Pretty. You don’t owe prettiness to anyone. Not to your boyfriend/spouse/partner, not to your co-workers, especially not to random men on the street. You don’t owe it to your mother, you don’t owe it to your children, you don’t owe it to civilization in general. Prettiness is not a rent you pay for occupying a space marked “female”.
That is awesome.
i positively love this, and had to share it
YES MA’AM(s). You are speaking my language.