Woman Be Yourself – Kazi Falguni Eshita

Us females, we love to adorn ourselves, right? We even perform thousands of procedures on our bodies to look attractive, but do we really do it for ourselves?
Recently, I was watching a quite famous American TV series: an attractive young lady got admitted to the hospital; but even before doctors could start treating her, she started vomiting blood and expired. Later on, doctors discovered that she had been starving herself, to look hotfor her boyfriend.
In a well-loved Disney animation film, mermaid princess Ariel sacrificed her melodious voice in exchange of a pair of legs to be closer to her beloved prince Erick. Really? I mean if Erick was truly in love with her, why couldn’t he love Ariel just as the mermaid she was?
Here in America, I see a lot of females struggling with body image issues. We had to study about eating disorders like Anorexia or Bulimia. Anorexic people loathe food to such an extent, that besides being extremely skinny, they can also lose their ability to do common stuff like standing upright. They eventually move towards unwanted premature death if their condition remains untreated.
Bulimia or Binge Eating Disorder can make someone eat a lot within a small amount of time. As a result, their weight increases to a great extent over a short period of time.
Sometimes, when I see my classmates dressed up in a particular manner (against their will), I can’t help asking: why? Obviously, they reply with a: “my partner likes it this way.” Ladies, if he really wanted to be your partner, he’d respect you just the way you are. He’d respect your wishes. You don’t really need a huge mask of makeup to look attractive for him or anyone else. It’s your life, sister; you have the right to make choices.
Adapting to a whole new culture and language was not easy for me. My eyes were not accustomed to seeing women in certain attires. Even the lifestyle is a lot different than that of my home country. It would be a pretty difficult journey if my professors didn’t take me under their wings. I’ve had the privilege of knowing a few extraordinary women over the last one year, who went an extra mile to help me adapt.
In my first semester, I met with an English professor of Japanese origin. She not only helped me become a better writer, but she also helped me explore the unknown alleys of college life.  “You don’t really have to be an American to be active on campus. Just be yourself.” She’d often say.
She’d seldom wear makeup or jewelry, but she looked exceptional when she did. I knew she adorned herself to boost her confidence: “I’d never want my three-year-old daughter to watch The Little Mermaid, because it gives a wrong message.” She told me one day.
There’s another negative habit of women that makes my blood boil. Do we really need to gossip or backbite? For example, I had a very dear female friend during my A-levels. She’d often run right into my arms for a hug, or even say out loud that she likes it when I’m affectionate to her. This young lady was a few years younger than me, so I was naturally affectionate. Many years later, my heart broke when I discovered that she often used profane language when she talked about me with my other girlfriends.
Ladies, please do not contaminate your minds with such things. It is far better to talk directly to people than talking bad about them. If you want to tell me something, come to me, don’t go to anyone else!
Women might feel insecure about their skin color. Some might have several body image issues. Especially these days, public media like television can make you believe that being glamorous means being beautiful. Come on women! A pretty face is nothing if you have an ugly heart. The beauty of your face may fade away, but a beautiful soul can change lives.
Mirror, mirror on the wall,
It doesn’t matter if I’m short or tall.
If my legs are skinny or my hips are wide,
What matters is, what I’m inside.