This is my Social Awareness Project. In this project, I focus on the insecurities of females as a social problem. Looks and weight are a big issue for most females where they feel the need to "cover up" to please and satisfy the public. These are insecurities we need to overcome instead of follow.
The first section of this project is a interview on a victim who has insecurities about her weight. She explains how she feels about her weight and how she will not let it affect her any further. She describes what she encounters because of her weight and how it affects her.
The second section of this project is a response to a song I heard and love. It explains the insecurity of looks and how females apply makeup and spend time on trying to look skinny. It further states that these things should not matter and how only what you feel or think about yourself should matter. I briefly describe the message of the song and how I felt/thought about it.
The last section ties up the project with two poems dedicated to female insecurities. The first one specifically for applying makeup as a cover up and the second one about how females are naturally strong and beautiful and nothing will change that.
FEMALE INSECURITIES ABOUT WEIGHT
OPTION #3
INTERVIEW ON VICTIM OF SOCIAL PROBLEM
REPORTER- Do you feel insecure about your weight?
PERSON- Not really, no. I mean, when I get dressed for school, there are some days where I question myself if my outfit makes me look fat. But I've been getting less and less of those days because now I only stick to skirts and sweat pants. REPORTER- Does it bother you that you way more than your older sister?
REPORTER- I don’t know, is it?
PERSON- Well, yeah. Anyone’s flaws can be used against them like my weight can be used. They're just different flaws. But I guess it would be nice to weigh less than my older sister.
REPORTER- Have you ever been bullied? And if yes, how did you react to it?
PERSON- I've never been bullied to my face. But I remember in elementary school, there were a lot of things said about my weight behind my back. And to tell you the truth, I tried not to cry at school but when I got home, I had nothing to hide. My siblings comforted me and I was happy that I could forget school by just playing Mario Kart and spending time with them… But school is 6 hours a day, 5 times a week, for 10 months! I dreaded elementary school but I was happy at the end of the day.
REPORTER- How do you feel about middle school, now that you’re out of elementary school?
PERSON- I feel great! I've made three best friends: Kaitlyn, Jasmine, and Fadia. And even though most of the kids from elementary school got into the same middle school as me, they don’t mind me anymore… They've moved on since a bunch of kids had flaws worse than mine.
REPORTER- Do you think you’ll ever let your weight affect you again?
PERSON- I don’t know. I don’t think so but who knows what’ll happen. There could be awful people who I meet who will use my weight against me... but I've made friends who I can count on and I know they would stick up for me... Besides, I won’t care if I know there are other people who don’t care about my weight...That just shows that the ones who make fun of me have no lives.
REPORTER- Even though you're comfortable with your weight, will you try to lose some of it?
PERSON- I guess, yeah. It’ll be nice to not to have my weight affect the way people think of me. I don't want to feel insecure about my weight anymore... But I’d also do it because it’s healthy if I do. I’m overweight so I need to lose weight before it actually affects me physically. REPORTER- How do you feel about the bullies? What do you have to say about them?
FEMALE INSECURITIES ABOUT LOOKS
OPTION #4
RESPONSE TO SOCIAL PROBLEM
If you were to walk outside, how many females do you pass that are wearing makeup? Too many to count? Exactly. Makeup, weight, body shape, hair, clothes- these are all the things females today obsess over so they can look “good.” Females are constantly fixing themselves for other people by applying makeup, going on extreme diet, or even going to the mall to buy clothes that are the trend and what everyone wears. In Colbie Caillat’s song, “Try,” the song expresses the insecurities of females. The song specifically calls out on how females of all different shapes and ages, hide their “flaws” behind makeup.
“Try” is a song about not letting what other people’s opinions affect who you are and most importantly, what you do. During the music video, there are several females introduced, whom hide behind a layer of makeup, including Colbie Caillat. In the song, there are a few stanzas of lyrics that list the things females do in order to look “good” for the public: “Put your makeup on, get your nails done, curl your hair, run the extra mile, keep it slim… get your sexy on… get your shopping on… max your credit card… buy it all.” These lines show the consequences that females go through in order to keep a fake appearance for the public.This is a serious problem if females really do go through these tasks, because it shows that they are insecure about their flaws and are willing to hide behind makeup just to cover up.
Fortunately, the song opposes these actions to cover up flaws. After stating the previous lines the song continues to ask what is the point of all this hassle? “Do they like you? Do you like you?” The song asks to think about why they put on makeup: “Why should you care what they think of you?... When you’re all alone do you like you?” Is this what they really want, to hide behind makeup? Do they like the fact of covering up? The song really puts the message through when they repeatedly say, “You don’t have to try so hard… no you don’t have to give it all the way… just get up… you don’t have to change a single thing.” The message of this song is too embrace who you are for what you are, not based on how you look with or without makeup.
Finally at the end of the music video, all the girls take their makeup off, including Colbie Caillat, and they show themselves for real. They look happy and free. Makeup doesn't express who you are and you should't let it. You are strong and beautiful the way you are and you should stay like that. Don’t cover what defines you as unique.
I really loved this song. It shows a powerful message that every female should know. They should't work hard for others. They should only work hard for themselves. I felt this was a message that needed to be said and needed to be known throughout the female gender. This is an insecurity that should be fought to overcome. I know that many girls say makeup expresses who they are, but its really hard to see who they are if they are if we can’t see their faces. I don’t want to eliminate makeup ultimately, but I just want makeup not to be used for a cover up.
FEMALE INSECURITIES
OPTION #5
POEMS
Hide your face,
before you’re seen.
Apply it well,
the foundation cream.
Grab you compact
and flip it open.
Brush your face,
‘till you’re golden.
Now the eyeliner,
line the eye.
Take the mascara,
lashes are high.
Eye shadow next,
apply ‘purple plush.’
For finishing touch,
Put on pink blush.
Now you’re pretty,
and beautiful too.
But wait a sec,
is that really you?
Never hide your flaws,
be who you really are.
Hiding behind makeup,
won’t get you far.
You may have acne,
or you’re overweight.
But don’t change yourself,
at any rate.
You are strong and beautiful,
don’t think different.
People may comment,
don’t take the hint.
Get over your insecurities,
and embrace yourself truly.
Because in the end,
that’s all you need.
