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Jadyn Bright, Assistant Editor: OPINION

Embrace Your Inner Beauty


"Happiness means loving yourself and being less concerned with the approval of others." -Owen Campbell Jr.

Sometimes​ ​I​ ​wonder​ ​what​ ​would​ ​teenage​ ​girls​ ​do​ ​without​ ​hair​ ​extensions, cosmetics,​ ​and​ ​inappropriate​ ​clothing. Nowadays,​ ​these​ ​are​ ​a​ ​“must​ ​have”​ ​in​ ​our​ ​society,​ ​but​ ​it​ ​shouldn’t​ ​be​ ​this way.​ ​​ ​How​ ​come​ ​girls​ ​just​ ​can’t​ ​be...NATURAL!

Girls​ ​use​ ​hair​ ​extensions,​ ​such​ ​as​ ​weave,​ ​in​ ​order​ ​to​ ​make​ ​their​ ​hair​ ​look longer,​ ​“better,”​ ​or​ ​“more​ ​natural.”​ ​​ ​I​ ​don’t​ ​disagree​ ​with​ ​not​ ​using​ ​it​ ​period, you​ ​just​ ​shouldn’t​ ​be​ ​dependent​ ​on​ ​it.​ ​​

Most​ ​girls​ ​use​ ​weave​ ​as​ ​a​ ​way​ ​to hide​ ​some​ ​parts​ ​or​ ​all​ ​of​ ​their​ ​hair.​ ​​ ​“I​ ​have​ ​bad​ ​hair!”​ ​​ ​“My​ ​hair​ ​is​ ​too​ ​short.” “I’m​ ​too​ ​lazy​ ​to​ ​deal​ ​with​ ​my​ ​hair.”​ ​​ ​Those​ ​are​ ​the​ ​very​ ​few​ ​excuses​ ​girls have​ ​for​ ​using​ ​weave.

I​ ​asked​ ​Teyana​ ​Slater,​ ​a​ ​weave-wearer,​ ​why​ ​does​ ​she​ ​constantly​ ​wear weave.​ ​​ ​“I​ ​like​ ​to​ ​change​ ​my​ ​hairstyles​ ​a​ ​lot,​ ​because​ ​I​ ​get​ ​bored.”

Teenage​ ​girls​ ​wear​ ​cosmetics​ ​to​ ​cover​ ​acne,​ ​hide​ ​“bad​ ​skin,”​ ​and​ ​look more​ ​appealing​ ​to​ ​the​ ​eye.​ ​​ ​They​ ​shouldn’t​ ​be​ ​this​ ​worried​ ​about​ ​hiding something​ ​that​ ​is​ ​completely​ ​natural. Sometimes girls don't even realize they are messing up their beautiful skin even more by applying cosmetics every single day.​ ​​ ​They​ ​are​ ​dabbling​ ​in​ ​something that​ ​shouldn’t​ ​even​ ​be​ ​a​ ​concern​ ​this​ ​early​ ​in​ ​their​ ​lives.

Brianna​ ​Martinette,​ ​a​ ​junior​ ​at​ ​Churchland​ ​High​ ​School,​ ​had​ ​something​ ​to say​ ​about​ ​girls​ ​wearing​ ​cosmetics.​ ​​ ​“I​ ​think​ ​girls​ ​wear​ ​makeup​ ​to​ ​feel​ ​more confident​ ​and​ ​pretty,​ ​but​ ​everybody​ ​is​ ​their​ ​own​ ​kind​ ​of​ ​beautiful,​ ​even without​ ​makeup.​ ​​ ​But​ ​if​ ​wearing​ ​makeup​ ​makes​ ​you​ ​feel​ ​better​ ​about

yourself,​ ​by​ ​all​ ​means,​ ​do​ ​what​ ​makes​ ​you​ ​happy.”

Most girls​ ​tend​ ​to​ ​dress​ ​inappropriately,​ ​as​ ​in​ ​showing​ ​too​ ​much​ ​skin​ ​or​ ​looking older​ ​than​ ​they​ ​are.​ ​​ ​They​ ​wear​ ​things​ ​like​ ​short​ ​dresses​ ​(stopping​ ​above the​ ​knee),​ ​overly​ ​ripped​ ​jeans,​ ​small/revealing​ ​shirts,​ ​and​ ​all​ ​types​ ​of​ ​tight clothing.​ ​​ ​What​ ​you​ ​wear,​ ​especially​ ​in​ ​an​ ​educational​ ​environment,​ ​sets the​ ​tone​ ​of​ ​the​ ​specific​ ​setting.​ ​​ ​For​ ​an​ ​example,​ ​if​ ​you​ ​wear​ ​revealing clothing​ ​in​ ​a​ ​professional​ ​environment,​ ​don’t​ ​expect​ ​to​ ​be​ ​treated professionally.

“I​ ​disagree​ ​with​ ​girls​ ​wearing​ ​inappropriate​ ​clothing​ ​at​ ​school.​ ​​ ​It​ ​just makes​ ​me​ ​uncomfortable​ ​having​ ​to​ ​see​ ​young​ ​ladies​ ​like​ ​that,​ ​but​ ​if​ ​that’s what​ ​they​ ​wanna​ ​wear,​ ​no​ ​one​ ​can​ ​stop​ ​them​ ​but​ ​themselves,”​ ​said​ ​a​ ​male sophomore​ ​who​ ​chose​ ​to​ ​remain​ ​anonymous.

A​ ​survey​ ​taken​ ​by​ ​Reuters,​ ​an​ ​international​ ​news​ ​agency,​ ​shows​ ​that​ ​71% of​ ​teens​ ​are​ ​materialistic.​ ​​ ​Teenage​ ​girls​ ​should​ ​feel​ ​confident​ ​on​ ​how naturally​ ​beautiful​ ​they​ ​are​ ​without​ ​“hiding”​ ​everything,​ ​but​ ​showing​ ​too much.​ ​​ ​If​ ​they​ ​knew​ ​how​ ​to​ ​treat​ ​themselves​ ​with​ ​respect,​ ​boys​ ​wouldn’t treat​ ​them​ ​any​ ​kind​ ​of​ ​way.

Imani​ ​Elsey,​ ​a​ ​proud​ ​natural​ ​teenager,​ ​had​ ​something​ ​to​ ​say​ ​about​ ​the issue.​ ​​ ​“I​ ​think​ ​that​ ​females​ ​wear​ ​makeup,​ ​weave,​ ​and​ ​skimpy​ ​clothing because​ ​they​ ​might​ ​feel​ ​they​ ​won’t​ ​get​ ​attention​ ​from​ ​guys.​ ​​ ​Sometimes​ ​a girl​ ​should​ ​just​ ​embrace​ ​her​ ​natural​ ​beauty.”

​ ​​ ​​ ​ My​ ​personal​ ​message​ ​to​ ​all​ ​teenage​ ​girls​ ​is:

​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ ​​ Embrace​ ​your​ ​natural​ ​beauty!

​ ​​ ​​ ​ You​ ​are​ ​beautiful​ ​and​ ​always​ ​will​ ​be.

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