OK so todays blog is more of a thought than a full scale Illiad. I was watching a comic yesterday on Netflix called Iliza Schlesinger. Her schtick is that she is a millennial feminist (albeit admitting towards the elder scale as she was born in 1983 the cut off). She is also a self confessed, unapologetic feminist. Unlike the Germaine Greers’ of the world, Iliza brings a breath of fresh air to feminism. She brings a self deprecating quality that Is as refreshing as it is hysterical. She mocks and makes many valid points in the same beat.
One of her stories involves talking about the pressure women put themselves under to look good. She talks about no matter how skinny a women is those allusive five pounds can be desirable to loose. No matter how blond we can be blonder right? What struck me about this commentary on female struggles, they are totally transferable to gay men. We often obsess about our bodies to ridiculous degrees. We are never thin/buff enough, we can always strive for more. I actually believe we are women on steroids with our self obsession. Like women we are a victim of our own community. This obsession is all over the community wherever we look. We see posters advertising nightclubs with tanned Adonis’ (under 30) with perfectly bleached teeth and abs that could have been bought from Clas Olsen in the kitchenware section. The gay community is pretty bad for body/appearance shaming. Ironic isn’t that a group that fought for acceptance can be so exclusionary at times?
Iliza also talks about how we all have that one thing we would change about our appearance. Sometimes its a collection of things forming a collage of our insecurities. This collage however is only mostly noticeable to us. Iliza ends her routine by making a rather poignant statement about self love and acceptance. Women should empower other women. I agree completely. We all have a right to feel good about ourselves however the only way we can do this is by changing how WE ourselves feel about OURSELVES. I Have found over the years to love myself, imperfections and all. I am at my most confident when I don’t give a flying fuck what other people think. I channel my inner diva, hold my head up high and just…. strut! Sure I’m only 5’8… I wish I was 6’0 but hell I’m going to be the best 5’8 Irish boy that I can be! A secret tip, when I feel like shit sometimes a new outfit can really put the fire back in my spirit (is that cheating??).
This is a topic I will revisit in the future as I believe their is a lot more meat on the bones so to speak and their is definitely more in this. I am only scratching the surface as I am mildly distracted by the heat and some stray glitter that is flying across the room. So in closing I will leave my final thought from somewhere far more iconic and fabulous than myself.
“My mamma told me when I was young
we are all superstars…..
theirs nothing wrong with loving who you are, she said, cause he made you perfect babe”
Credit lyrics – Lady Gaga
Credit Sentiment – The Lioness
A Grievers Guide to the Galaxy 