he wasn't even looking at me and he found me
untitled
Xuebing Du
Love Begins
Sade Olutola
h
roma★
Discoholic 🪩
One Nice Bug Per Day
oozey mess
let's talk about Bridgerton tea, my ask is open
if i look back, i am lost
RMH
Lint Roller? I Barely Know Her
Stranger Things
Cosmic Funnies
NASA
Andulka
Product Placement
wallacepolsom
seen from Brazil
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seen from United States
seen from Chile
seen from Chile
seen from Chile
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seen from Netherlands
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@sisterlylifeadvice
Educate yourself. When a question about a certain topic pops up, Google it. Watch movies and documentaries. When something sparks your interest, read about it. Read read read. Study, learn, stimulate your brain. Don’t just rely on the school system, educate that beautiful mind of yours.
Travel-As-A-Happy-Hippie (via sarah-vs-studying)
Cultural Disrespect
The following is a flow of conciousness, it was not planned out and organized writing and some of the ideas brought up may not be fully developed. I have a lot on my mind and just need to get it all out on paper, so I apologize if there is any lack of clarity.
I posed with tribal looking facepaint on for a few pictures in a photoshoot I did last year. The pictures turned out beautifully and the paint came out exactly as I had hoped. To my dismay, the photos were received rather poorly by many people on tumblr, and I’d like to discuss some of the reasons surrounding it. I posted on of the pictures with the caption “ Inspired from beautiful aspects of other cultures I respect and admire” and immediately got responses from strangers such as “Stop” and “Puke” and “That isn’t what respect or admiration look like.” I was very surprised and alarmed by these reactions because I never imagined I would be offending anyone and definitely didn’t expect that feedback. I am aware of the fact that hundreds of years ago white people took over America from the Native Americans causing bloodshed and loss of land, it was a travesty and doesn’t receive the attention it deserves within our school systems and other aspects of society. Many lies and genocides worldwide are often swept under the carpet - the winners write the history books and destroying cultures like that is ugly and unforgivable. I do not personally support any of the wrongdoing that the Native Americans went through then or the complications and racism that the remaining legacy of those Native Americans may face now. Its horrible and gross. However, posing with that facepaint on is a sign of admiration. I think that Native American culture was beautiful - the art, clothing, architecture, archery, languages, music, dancing, food, spiritual religions, not being wasteful, respect of elders, facepaint, etc. I believe it should be celebrated. If all people of other nationalities ignored and forgot about those beautiful cultural aspects to the African American society, they might be forgotten. The people were mistreated, but we cannot allow for them to be forgotten. No one is asking for forgiveness for what happened or for anyone to forget. My ancestors didn’t come to America until WW2, and if my family had stayed in Europe and I grew up there, I likely would have posed with face paint on anyway. Is the crime being a white American with facepaint? Or is it being literally anyone else in the world who isn’t a part of a Native American tribe? There are other cultures that have used facepaint for hundreds of generations, such as most African tribes and other cultures within Africa and other cultures in this world. I spent this summer in Africa volunteering at Big Cat sanctuaries and have friends with a Kenyon tribe. People there were very welcoming, and encouraged me to take part in their traditions, learn what mattered to them, join in the dances. Travelling is my biggest passion, I adore meeting foreign people and learning about their stories and cultures. I have studied hieroglyphics, most specifically Phoenician. America is supposed to be the melting pot of cultures. There are people from everywhere in the globe living in America and there is supposedly freedom of speech and religion, etc. I’m a triple language major at my university. Should I be punished for learning languages spoken in places my ancestors are not from? Should we be punished for trade? Eating imported foods and using imported fabrics? Should anyone who didn’t live during the 60s be forbidden to wear tie dye? Should women with Muslin ancestors never have the option to wear denim shorts in a western country? Should little girls who haven’t won pageants or been born into royalty and earned tiaras/crowns be forbidden to wear them? If a kid wears a Papal Mitre (Miter) or even a representation of the Papal Tiara, does it take any power away from the Pope? Is it offensive to doctors who went to med school and earned doctorates if kids put on lab coats and play doctor or the operation game? Should I be forbidden to salsa dance because it didn’t originate in New York? No. We grow as a world community when we share resources and ideas. Plenty of cultures borrow from each other and it makes them stronger. Exposure to various cultures is valuable. If white Americans ignored every other culture in the world and all of history, the problems would be much worse. I wore facepaint. I wore it in Africa, I’ve worn it in performances on stage, and I wore Native American inspired facepaint for a photoshoot. The intention was not to mock their culture, it was to celebrate it. At the same time I can’t fully expect intentions to strip away any feelings of hurt. Also, I am aware of the fact that Native peoples are not one monolithic culture. There are many variations between different regions and tribes and not all would even use facepaint, or use it in the same manors. Do not think that I am making the generalization that all Native American tribes are the same. I’d also like to make it clear that I am not wearing a Halloween costume or pretending to be a part of their race...this isn’t some disgusting blackface practice...I clearly wrote that the makeup was inspired by their culture. When I picture Native Americans, the adjectives that come to mind are wise, strong, independent. The wildness and freedom are qualities I’d be honored to bond with. I know that their land was taken unfairly and illegally, the towns in my area are all named after Native American tribes that once prospered here. They aren’t forgotten. I am not in support of how things played out between our ancestors. I wish there could have been peace, compromises, sharing, or just for us not to have expanded here where there were already civilizations existing. I have no control over that situation and I didn’t ask to be born on what was their land. I shouldn’t be punished because I was born white and happen to be interested in “non-white” cultures. I’m not some drunken sorority girl running around in a bikini and $4 knock-off headdress, I put on a few stripes of facepaint and posed in nature. Rather than being looked down on and being told what I cannot do or wear, how bout something constructive like “Ms. if you want to show your admiration and respect for our community by raising awareness somehow, could you try getting peoples attention on ______________ issue or volunteering with __________________ organizations?” And I’d be HAPPY to. My intention was never to denigrate, mock, or blindly support stereotypes. In general I would not consider myself to be an ignorant person. I personally have no respect for close minded people who choose to live within their simple ignorant bubbles. I am not a religious person, and though it is in different ways than Native Americans, I do consider myself to be spiritual and would love to learn more about their spiritual beliefs, possibly to expand my horizons and learn more about myself and what I connect with. I find other cultures inspiring. I want to make a clear apology to anyone who may have found my photography to be offensive. There is still plenty that I can be further educated on and I never meant to hurt or bother people. After reading this if people still believe I am a cruel racist and overstepping and see this as some sort of hate crime, feel free to message me and inform me of your concerns because I’d love to learn more and make sure it does not happen again - you will be heard and hopefully understood. I do not want you to think that I will approach it with a closed, defensive outlook. This is an issue that matters to me and I genuinely do not feel that I have overstepped. If the problems are regarding the pattern or colors used, again, please do not hesitate to let me know so that I can correct it in the future! If the problem is that I am wearing facepaint at all and have not earned the right, then consider these perspectives: In my life I do not believe I will ever be in the position to earn the right at all as I do not have Native American heritage and am not personally close with anyone who does. One of my big passions in life is acting. I understand that some people view wearing facepaint or headdresses as someone claiming to have earned a war honor etc. The fact is in movies and plays characters can earn war honors. All parties are aware of the fact that it is pretend, he/she is an actor, wearing a costume made to represent a scenario that is not based on that actor’s reality. I am not pretending I deserve to be able to put on Native American apparel whenever I feel like it because I’m an actress. That’s not how that works, but when I do photoshoots, I’m someone else. I step out of my body and history and into a fictional person’s. The facepaint pictures are posted on a blog called “Alter Ego.” She could be an important person in Native American, African, or other cultures. I went with what felt natural. People who are not Native American have played Native American roles in movies, and Native American actors shouldn’t be limited to exclusively Native American roles, unless they so choose - it is a matter of artistic freedom. Nowhere did I specify that the facepaint had to be Native American, but seeing as those are the people who were offended and had issues with the pictures, that is why this post is geared in that direction. I did not try to mimic designs of any specific culture or world region, but intentionally kept it generalized and fictional. From what I have read, the color white used in facepaint widely represents peace, and red - energy, happiness, and beauty. This may not be true of all societies, but from what I read in an effort to be somewhat politically correct I decided to let that influence my color choices. I think the problem may be that I am unaware of where the line should be drawn. In Native American sign language, a nod meant yes, head shake meant no, thumb to the chest was me, and index finger pointing meant you, etc. Everyone from every culture I know uses many of the signing I have read about and that is not taboo. Beaded jewelry is not taboo. It is clear that modern day wearing of headdresses is deemed taboo, and clearly facepaint is also looked down upon. Why are some things okay an others completely off limits? If I have the same, peaceful, good-hearted intentions, why are the actions so drastically different? Authentic headdresses etc should be made by and reserved for Native Americans who have authentically earned them. These young people who wear them because they are beautiful and connect to nature, aren’t wearing authentic ones. They are wearing representations. Lots of kids wear fire-hats out of admiration for their heroes. They aren’t wearing real hats/helmets and barging into a firehouse and getting in the way when the men need to leave promptly to rescue people...they are wearing representations in a non-legitimate environment. It is harmless. It is a compliment. I did not paint on a horrid Swastika or pose with a Confederate Flag. I’m not spreading messages of hate and violence. I never would. Through research I have read that “Congress has outlawed the unauthorized wearing of a purple heart but to the best of my knowledge has not outlawed the wearing of a war bonnet of any indigenous tribe.” I haven’t broken any laws or attacked anybody. I haven’t killed birds and tossed a headdress on and off at my own convenience like some baseball cap. The intention isn’t to undermine the meaning or significance of Native American peoples who HAVE earned the right. Just because I believe in my opinions does not mean that they are automatically correct or unchangeable. I hope that freedom of expression does not have to come at the cost of disrespecting others. I’d love to have someone calmly explain their concerns to me. I feel as though I am better educated on this subject than many of my peers, but not nearly as much as a could and should be. I’ll continue to do my research and talk with whomever I can. I know there are much more urgent and important issues, concerns, even crisis in the Native American population that deserve more attention than the misuse of traditional garb. I believe these conversations should be geared more toward those rather then something I currently see as harmless such as my wearing of facepaint. Fashion shouldn’t be a priority. So many people know about the headdress phenomenon and nothing about real dangers facing the Native American communities. Energy should go toward educating and putting an end to those issues first and foremost and if the borrowing and sharing (not taking) of their culture’s fashion is the only problem remaining, then sure, discipline some people for it if they are truly in the wrong. Thank you for reading, I appreciate it.
“Stars got tangled in her hair whenever she played in the sky.” — Laini Taylor
via luminous-haze (via psych-facts)
♆
I’M CRYING
💀💀💀
Lmaaaoo
Fuck being nice to everyone. If someone treats you badly, you have every right not to tolerate bullshit.
(via heart)
Welcome to America where a woman who aborts a fetus is considered a murderer but a white man who shoots an unarmed black child isn’t.
Why am I stuck on this..
Pretty doesn’t mean unique, interesting, or new theories to prove...
Pretty means what pretty says;
Sweet girl, what shiny hair you have on your head!
“...She’s pretty, but she’s brain dead.”
does getting a septum piercing hurt?
it hurts the people that care about you
fuck them
He gets it.
LOUD AND CLEAR
This is how the rain looks like when you're up there.
BEST PHOTO IN EXISTENCE.
I love how it’s only over that town, like Nature decided to just fuck their day up.
fuck this place in particular
While the acclaimed physicist answered many questions about the future of our planet, one audience member had other concerns. According to BuzzFeed, a questioner asked "What do you think is the cosmological effect of Zayn leaving One Direction and consequently breaking the hearts of millions of teenage girls across the world?” "Finally, a question about something important," Hawking reportedly responded, before doling out some serious wisdom. "My advice to any heartbroken young girl is to pay close attention to the study of theoretical physics. Because one day there may well be proof of multiple universes," he said. "It would not be beyond the realms of possibility that somewhere outside of our own universe lies another different universe. And in that universe, Zayn is still in One Direction." Malik broke the hearts of young Directioners everywhere when he opted to leave the popular boy band in March. Hawking finished his answer, adding, "This girl may like to know that in another possible universe, she and Zayn are happily married."
Stephen Hawking
Meggles
Meg you don’t have to be like me. You can be awake and alive unlike the cookie cutter worker drones around us without having all the same interests as me. Travelling and languages are wonderful, but they aren’t for everyone. They don’t have to be your thing. They don’t have to be your plan. Sexual experimentation, experiences with substances etc aren’t required to understand multiple perspectives, they’re interesting, but just because I am involved with them, doesn’t mean you need to to have things in common with me. I’m flattered that you see me as a role model and I love you as a sister and best friend, but my answers aren’t the only right answers. I know you know that, I hope you don’t feel pressure to be similar in all of those ways or compare things we do because they are different as they should be, but I just want to remind you in writing that you should do you sista ;*
Done
I am so fucking sick and tired of being polite. The socially acceptable bullshit has gotten old. I am pretty and I have good manors and know how to charm adults and I use all my energy being impressive and a high functioning, well-liked member of society. They might like me, but I hate it, I hate what they’re doing to me. I like beauty, but I also like darkness, it can be as beautiful as light and color, and the variety makes it valuable. My real interests are too taboo to discuss. I want to strip during college to make some extra money, stay in good shape, perform, thrive off the attention, and dance which I love to do. But no, god forbid I help my parents pay for college, I’ll just keep it in my head, watch pole dancing videos at night and keep stretching, but if anyone asks, I play the flute and doodle disney characters. I am fascinated by sylvia plath and sweeney todd, but we don’t talk about that, we talk about j.k. rowling and Pippin because it would be the end of the world if someone furrowed their brow instead of smiling affectionately with the ditsy little rich girl. No one knows me which allows them to fill in the blanks with the pretty, petty bullshit that they want to believe. I like to eat pussy, but nooooo, I’ll keep bringing attractive men to social events and wearing skirts and blush because that’s easier on the ears and eyes right? Don’t come out to Papa because its really not important or relevant, right? Don’t join the military, join a sorority, right? Don’t get dreadlocks because theyre dirty and you’ll eventually have to shave your head and thats not feminine, why do that when you have such pretty hair now? Don’t go to Africa to do volunteer work, keep daydreaming about Paris, right? I feel happy and familiar in this facade because I’ve brought her to life everyday for 19 years, but its not me. I want bandannas and no bras and bisexual polyamory and stripping, maybe a porn video or two, experiment with drugs, I want to take my chances and see the middle east, do mentally stimulating jobs and hobbies to preserve intelligence so I can keep an active mind instead of getting home from work everyday at 2pm and sitting on my ass in an online backgammon chat room. Could you possibly consider referring to me as polamorous because that is how I’ve identified since birth? And not as a formality because its important to me, or because you accept that it just might maybe possibly be a short-term phase of mine, do it because cause you believe me.
Not to rebel, but I’m going to run away or embrace it soon, for my own sanity. I like acting, but its supposed to just be a hobby, not a full time commitment that I get paid for in pats on the back and nods from strangers. I feel very awake. Very much alive, not just existing, but I haven’t truly been able to embrace it as a lifestyle. I do believe there are ways to be awake and alive without being dark, and I’m allowed to have different moods, but none of them should be trying to seem lesser just to seem normal. I’ve tried to be the perfect daughter, they are pleased and proud, but I still let them down and have to hide things and there’s a lot they don’t understand. That isn’t their fault. But I still let them down sometimes despite everything, and I let myself down too. I’d rather love them from a distance and be myself somewhere. Do things they wouldn't do and justify them in ways they can’t comprehend. Do it my way on the surface, all the time. Normal feels good sometimes, its the easiest way to get an education and connect with other people which is something I value, but even me being normal is clearly a bit off to people. If only I could live in the age of hitchhiking, drugs, and taboo love. Independent versions of those things are more complicated and everything I hold dear is also held as a secret. I’m not sure what my life would look like at this point if I dropped the mask, maybe it would be better to move and start over as myself somewhere else. My advice is to be true to yourself from the start because a lie will always snowball. It’s gone on so long and I’m deep inside this persona I built. Pretty. Pretty.. I fucking hate that word. I blame pretty. I blame the simplicity, the surface level pleasing of other’s senses. Smells like vanilla and flowers, she smells pretty. Exfoliate and use lotion - she’s so soft, what pretty skin. Spend a fortune on shampoo and conditioner and miscellaneous other products and gels, burn it with irons and curlers, spray it in place, but not too much or it might be hard - what pretty fucking hair you have. Pretty fucking nails. Pretty fucking eyes. Pretty fucking smile. Pretty fucking dress. Beautiful can refer to internal beauty as well, it can refer to a beautiful, creative, deep mind. Pretty cannot. Pretty is weak. It is weak and lacks meaning.
“I am not a pretty girl that is not what I do I ain't no damsel in distess and I don't need to be rescued so put me down punk maybe you'd prefer a maiden fair isn't there a kitten stuck up a tree somewhere...
and what if there are no damsels in distress what if I knew that and I called your bluff? don't you think every kitten figures out how to get down whether or not you ever show up? ...I don't want to be a pretty girl no I want to be more than a pretty girl.” -Ani DiFranco FUCK pretty. When I was in elementary school, my teacher said that “nice” was the weakest compliment, a weak adjective. They said if someone were to ask you to describe a friend and you said “They’re nice,” that you really weren’t friends at all. I won’t argue with the fact that “nice” is a weak adjective, but at least it is a statement about character. At least sometimes people can use it properly and mean it. Pretty is worse than nice. Pretty is the superficial, physical nice. If someone were to ask you to describe a friend and you said “They’re pretty,” you really aren’t friends at all.
“I am not an angry girl but it seems like I've got everyone fooled every time I say something they find hard to hear they chalk it up to my anger and never to their own fear and imagine you're a girl just trying to finally come clean knowing full well they'd prefer you were dirty and smiling” - Ani DiFranco
I’m frustrated, but my anger isn’t the problem, its society’s fear in change. In the taboo. Different. Special. People are afraid of outliers. Yeah some people say, how can you hate the meaning behind “pretty” if you want to be a model or a stripper in your free time? First of all, nudity is not always sexual. Thats crap. It’s natural and honest. I’ll humor you....You wanna follow the bible? What did adam and eve wear? No, I mean even before they were considered sinners... Nothing. Nudity had nothing to do with their sins. Being comfortable in one’s own body is not a bad thing. Now, yes, there are many times when nudity is sexual besides making love in the privacy of one’s own house. Yes, I am interested in that type of nudity as well. But I can dance in a thong for money without ever touching or seeing a man naked. I dance suggestively, their imaginations make me dirty. I’d dance for me. I’d be proud of myself. Don’t do porn because people will jerk off to it? I’d find that flattering from a distance, never have to see it, and get paid. Paid to feel confident, perform, paid to have sex (and the industry does now promote the use of condoms). There are ways to be attractive and sexual without being a dirty prostitute (not that they all are). I consider myself a feminist who is secure enough, and aware of my freedoms...a feminist who is morally okay with selling the image of her body. But hey, no, lets threaten to drop her financially and lose all respect and pride if she decides to put out a sex tape, even one without her face in it, because as an educated adult that seems like the best way to encourage her not to...NO, cutting me off emotionally and financially would be the best way to lock me into that lifestyle, while right now its just a harmless interest as a part time hobby.
I’m mad. I’m displeased that I have you’re support with everything I do as long as its something you would do. We are different people, you raised me differently than you were raised. We have different interests. You’re glad about that except when its suddenly something you don’t want to announce on facebook or gossip about at a theoretical PTA. You wouldn’t be comfortable with anyone knowing your daughter wants to be a stripper for a bit. It would mean you failed right? That I’m addicted to coke, dripping with STDs, and emotionally damaged, right? Don’t worry, your other one likes Cheerleading and Stage Managing and studies rigorously, so just maybe you didn’t fuck everything up right? At least she turned out okay. Why won’t I just get a grip and behave? Because making you proud enough to share a picture of everything I do on social media is no longer my priority. Please don’t pick and choose which of the things I do that you’re proud of. Please be proud of me as a package deal, or not. I need to live for me, not your profile page, not pictures on the fridge. I’m proud of my body. People show off things they are proud of. I don’t have an ounce of self hate, I’m confident and excited about my potential in this world. Don’t shut things down when you misunderstand the thesis statement, ask me questions, understand, follow up, care about me and my ideas even if you aren’t personally interested in them. If I don’t feel close to you now in the stages where I am planning and fantasizing what may be just a rebellious phase, but maybe a taboo lifestyle...then when i’m in the middle of it and have an off day when I feel like I’m drowning, you won’t be my lifeline. I haven’t even done anything “bad” yet, just mentioned things and you reject all of it. They’ll happen with or without you and I’d prefer to keep you involved. I’m tired. Stop calling me pretty. Stop judging me without understanding. Support me being comfortable as who I really am. Get a grip. Get off your ass, go for a jog, read a book, invent a new dessert recipe, and call me first every now and then.
Sometimes, people are good, and that makes me feel really, really good about people.
I will always reblog photos like this here, always.
