Pretty

 

What does pretty actually mean?

Everywhere I go,

The beauty standard is

Something different.

It's not a standard anymore,

It's a noose,

A leash that keeps you

In other people's control.

Who cares what other people think?

I do. And I'm sure you do, too.

You can deny it all you want, but you

Know that deep down,

Your entire life revolves around

Other people's opinions.

So what is pretty?

You can't be overweight,

Not by a single ounce.

If your stomach isn't cutting board thin,

You're fat. You're disgusting. You're a whale.

No growing body hair either!

Who cares if it's natural?

Who cares if it's "normal?"

If you're not a guy,

You can't do it. Buy yourself a razor from

Your local Walgreens

And get to chopping, furball!

You're in for a two hour shower,

An everything shower,

A wash all your flaws down the drain shower.

And look at those nails, your short, grimy nails.

Go spend 200 of your own dollars

To please another person

Because you aren't allowed to have gross hands.

People pay attention to those.

And don't wear acrylics,

You poor skank,

Get them professionally done.

Sucks if you can't afford that.

Keep up with the trends!

You can't keep your scrunchie on your wrist, that's so 2020.

You have to wear low-rise this and crop topped that,

But don't wear it if you're fat.

Nobody wants to see Shamu

In a miniskirt.

Have a big butt, but you need a skinny waist.

So what if that's abnormal?

Get. It. Done.

Don't get plastic surgery, though!

That makes you fake,

And Barbie's panties

Were never meant to come off.

By the way, makeup? Is a no,

So cancel your Sephora subscription

And all of that other junk

Because men only like "natural beauty."

But apparently, they don't like it enough

To accept the natural faults

That come with it.

Make it make sense,

But do it yourself.

It's an every woman for herself world here.

Girls support girls is fake

The minute you turn your back.

Now that I think about it,

You can't be confident either.

That makes you full of yourself

And nobody likes an independent woman

That can detect manipulation.

Don't smile too hard.

Your teeth are beige yellow, like a camel's stomach.

I could fit the entire Golden Gate Bridge

In the gap between your front teeth.

Buy braces,

But don't be surprised

When boys start calling you names

Like "zipper mouth."

Throw away all of your insecurities,

But keep them in the back of your mind

At the same time.

You can't be pretty

And you never will be pretty

Because you don't even know what that word means.

Merriam Webster can't help you define this word.

Only the people around you can

And I can assure you,

They do not think you're pretty.