"I think by the time we’re 30 or 20, we’re going to be climbing as many mountains as we can possibly climb."
We know her as the Will Smith's daughter who sang that really catchy song back in 2010. But Willow Smith has evolved from being an energetic nine year old to a mature young woman who has most of her stars aligned in life. She is the ultimate babe of our generation and here's why.
We know her most famous song is "Whip Your Hair", which was released back in 2010. The song was so popular and catchy that it even garnered some memes during that time. What we don't know is that after the Whip Your Hair phase, Willow continued to create music but this is drastically different from the pop Willow back in 2010. Her Soundcloud could almost be classified as experimental. It's mellow, it's bass-y, it's electronic, it's freaking great. The music is something you'd listen to when you're on a certain high, which is what I think defines Willow. She's on a different level of something that you can't explain. But whatever that is, it's just fantastic.
Back in her younger years, Willow was known to have these outrageous outfits and gigantic hairstyles. I'm not saying that they were bad choices. It was the early 2000's. But lately Willow's style is still quite outrageous in a sense that it's different but extremely stylish. She doesn't stick to just one style of clothing. She picks everything under the sun from corporate jackets to leather jackets to crop tops to just one really big top. This girl could pull off a brown paper sack if she wanted to. More importantly, she sends this message to girls around the world that you can wear anything you want. She has been saying that since she was nine years old with her flamboyant style and she is still saying it now.
There was an article that drifted around the Internet for a short while, talking about how Jaden and Willow Smith were spouting out words that normal teenagers wouldn't usually say. What they say is mind-boggling. It creates fresh nosebleeds if read for the very first time. And that's what makes Willow Smith so special among the Hollywood teens of today. This girl is 14 years old, a Millennial, who understands more about art and the universe than most adults do.
Telling them that they can be themselves and to not be afraid to be themselves.” And I’m doing that now
Her words are not pretentious, they're intelligent. She knows what she's saying and isn't afraid to say it and let media twist and turn it. She's a daughter of two celebrities and has lived a celebrity life since birth. Being so submerged in media would technically give someone an understanding on how people work. So yes, she isn't pretentious. She's pretty goddamn mature.
The photo above was posted on Willow's Instagram caused quite a lot of controversy. No, she's not naked; it's just the print of the shirt. But I'm sure that Willow was thinking this photo would create some fun on the Internet. And she was right. The Internet flared over this photo, saying that she was too young for this thing to happen blah blah blah. It is not explicitly stated that Willow had joined the Free the Nipple campaign but I'm pretty sure she's in favor of it.
Willow Smith is an inspiration. She is a perfect role model as someone who is totally free from social norms and expectations. She shows that we can too be free.
Society is pretty ironic. We're in the era where we are wearing the bare minimum of clothing and yet we've never been so covered up. We put literal masks on our faces, transforming us beyond recognition. And it's no longer just about the intense amount of facial or cosmetic make-up. With the technology we have today, it's so easy to fool people in believing you're a different person. We make ourselves unrecognizable by using Photoshop and other means to show people that we are "ideal". We post what society seems to be trendy so that we're more accepted. We live in a world where we are so used to making ourselves ideal that it is so easy to lose ourselves with the amount of facades we may not even be aware that we are putting on.
It's downright sad that we forget that what's most beautiful is the person you are without these enhancements in looks or personality. As they say men are most happy when women are nude and I completely agree but probably not in the way you're thinking. Being nude, as quoted from the Merriam Webster Dictionary is being "devoid of a natural or conventional covering." It's never stated exactly how you cover yourself up. Being devoid of clothing doesn't necessarily mean you're already nude. Instead I believe we should be able to instill in ourselves the different kind of nudity, the kind where we literally bare our souls, passions, thoughts, love, and ideas into the world and not just try to follow what everyone else is doing. In short, being nude is simply just being the person you truly are. We forget just how precious it is to be yourself. If you live your life always trying to be who you're not because of society’s norms or to conform to what your family and friends expect or want you to be, you will be living a life full of unhappiness and that is a fate worse than rejection.
At the end of the day, society's fundamental problem is we fear rejection too much. We fear a life of getting hurt. We are terrified of what people think of us instead of focusing on what we think about ourselves. We don't know what would happen if we started showing people who we really are because then we'd think the rejection would consume us. What we don't realize is how essential rejection is to our personhood, because you may be shunned and humiliated by people because of who you are but that doesn't take away the strength you gained from it. It scares and hurt us the most if it’s our families we are afraid of disappointing. But always remember that it’s your life to live, not theirs. And as long as who you are and what you wish to be isn’t something illegal or immoral, our families are usually forgiving and accepting. Sometimes, it will take time for them to accept things like a change in career, gender preference or the person you’re in love with.
But most of all, when we try to be bare naked and just be true to who you are, you'll know who are the people to keep in your life, the people who accept you for everything you are and aren't. That's what makes stripping down all your barriers worth it, it's for those people who will accept and love you for who you truly are and not those you just force yourself to be with.
And that's why I'm telling you it's time to strip down all these masks we've put up to conceal. It's time to bare it all out. It's time to go nude. Peel off all those insecurities. Show people your true colors. Expose the person you've been hiding from the world. Shed all your doubts of rejection and dare to be bare!
**Below is an anonymous account of an experience on online relationships. If the story deems to be familiar, the reader is asked not to inquire on the identity of the writer.**
I didn't fall for her instantly. We were mutuals on Tumblr because we belonged to a fandom that definitely had a big impact on our lives. The first time I read one of her posts it made me smile because, god, it was just so silly. I can't remember it now but I assure you, it's not what someone would usually say about toilets. We just had to be friends. We started messaging because she asked for someone to vent out on the latest book that was released in the series.
Eventually my eyes would automatically recognize her icon and I would take into account what she posted. She liked cats a lot. She reblogged a lot of funny posts too, especially ones with Obama in it. Her favorite TV shows were Korean telenovelas. Our messages had expanded from that series and into actual normal conversations. There was a time on Tumblr where it "ate" our messages.
She was adorable in her picture. Don't blame me if I stalked her to the birth of her account because you would do the same. Her Tumblr had showed me what kind of person she is on the inside but it was eye-opening to see how she was on the outside. Her icon picture on Tumblr was my default picture of her. Yet as I started to delve into her profile I started to see how long her hair actually was and how brown her eyes were. Her button nose. Her small lips. Her amazing eyebrows. There was no need to ask, "How was your day?" because she would launch immediately into her story.
We wouldn't stop messaging each other. She was there for my deepest depression and consoled me with the silliest replies. She further built my confidence by reminding me how great I was. I returned the favor. Conversations never ended. Days didn't feel like days to me. Time slipped from my fingers so quickly. I was really concerned about my ass that time because I was sitting too long on the computer. I switched to mobile when I was about to go to sleep. But I fought my drowsiness with all my might so that I could be with her to console with the loss of her pet cat. It was funny because I had to ask her once if I was dreaming when we had a certain conversation. She laughed at me and said yes, we did. But I swear, Facebook messages would appear in my dreams.
I found it really hard that my memory couldn't retain words that I read through a screen. I would forget things she revealed to me. She would get mad at me about that, but it wasn't all my fault. This is why I can't say when I fell in love with her. But I remember the times where I wish I could just book the next plane ticket to her place just to see a glimpse of her in real life. We weren't that far apart to begin with. We lived in the same country but the means of transportation involved crossing water. She couldn't afford to go to the capital where I lived. And I was alright with that. Back then, Viber or Whatsapp hadn't existed yet so I was thankful that at least we could text each other. We wouldn't Skype or call because she was so shy. I hated her for that.
I heard her get hurt by the people in her home but she didn't realize how much it hurt me when I couldn't be there for her. I longed for the day we could exchange sharp gasps once we laid eyes on each other, realizing the distance between us has finally disappeared; where I could touch her, someone I believed was practically intangible; where I could hear your voice and repeat it over and over in my head so that I could never forget how it sounds; and where I could memorize every inch of your body and burn a map of it in my mind.
And she felt the same, she told me after so many months after I have gotten over her. But she never spoke up. I never spoke up. What we had back then was amazing and both of us were so scared from ruining it with deeper feelings. Because I knew how hard it would be to have a relationship that only existed through a screen. I already felt so sad having a crush on her, what more if I saw her feel the same thing? I regret it though. I wanted, and I still do, to know what would happen if we just both admitted to each other what we felt. I wonder if we could prove wrong about online relationships.
Let's talk about Miley Cyrus. The same Miley Cyrus who had that notorious television show on Disney that I always tried to avoid, even though I’d always manage to find myself singing along to that famous/annoying opening and perhaps even watching the entire episode that followed. The same Miley Cyrus that represented the tween population of the mid-2000’s, of which I am part of. The same Miley Cyrus that completed a 180 and turned in her sparkly jacket and pop-country music into leotards and music that could shake one’s ass to.
Personally, I think this is an impossible task. I cannot for the life of me feign interest for this provocative woman who shakes her butt off in front of thousands and thousands of people, knowing that she was the same girl who my sister and I used to idolize when we were in grade school. Ok yes, I did like her show.
Instead, I will discuss why the “party girl” persona that Miley has so effortlessly exuded since the start of her Bangerz days is very much appealing in today's society.
I’m pretty sure if a popstar in the 1980’s would pull the things that Miley has done over the past two years, then she’d be run off from Hollywood by a mob of angry parents. But the funny thing about the present is, everyone started loving the feeling of getting surprised. Whether it be watching something on YouTube that you’d never seen before, or seeing one of your favourite pop stars act like a common provocative woman, people love new, edgy things. And that is what Miley is, edgy.
​You cannot deny that her dance moves and open sexuality is something we have never seen before. Even if it may not be everyone’s cup of tea, there is something there that draws our eyes back to her. That is where Miley’s charm lies. She has the ability to draw you in to her and her music using her controversial methods.
​I’d be lying if I said that I was not intrigued by the thought of seeing the “Wrecking Ball” music video, or her performance with Robin Thicke at the MTV Music Video Awards. I’d be lying if I told someone that a famous pop star acting like a stripper is not interesting to me. In fact, anyone who says that is someone who is a liar. Even parents can’t help but look at Miley whenever she starts twerking her ass off. It is not who she is, it is what she does. Her persona just draws people towards her and it is incredibly amazing for me.
​That is why she is worthy of being called a crush. Certain people don’t have a crush on her, but our entire society does.
We all know/knew someone who we became really good friends with but slowly started to feel that we've become friends with a person who we never really wanted to become friends with. You realize that you've started to do things that you never did before (negative things) and you’re starting to go against what you stood for and many more because of this friend.
For those of you who have never really been in that position, here are three ways (out of a whole bunch) to detect a toxic friend.
This can be a good or a bad thing, depending on how you handle this. However, some people may force you to do things that you never wanted to do. Consent is key and if you are feeling pressured to do something then I think you are not friends with the right people. Friends will and should accept you, for you. If you don’t drink, they should be fine with it. You never dated anyone; they should be chill. You never had sex; they shouldn't give a fuck about that.
When you start to get to know someone, you feel comfortable around her to the point where you can be honest about personal issues and things that, although may make them frown, will try to help you out. You essentially want to have friends who make you feel good about yourself, who reassures you that you don’t need that horrible guy or girl in your life. However, there are some people out there in the world who will make you feel terrible about yourself.
I am going to tell one (out of the many) ways that I have dealt with detecting a toxic friend: When you finally pull yourself out of that horrible, personal hole that made you not you, but then you start talking to your ‘friend’ and suddenly they’ll make you feel like you’re back in that horrible hole. This is a prime example of a toxic friend. They can sometimes slip in things like ‘I like it when our conversations don’t go anywhere, it’s taught me to not expect much’ or ‘I cried myself to sleep at night’ with no reason to do so. You may feel like you've gone back a step, that maybe you aren't good enough to be in the position you are in because your friend is telling you all of this.
Remember when you sat anxiously in class when you did something wrong with your friend but they never told on you? That’s true friendship right there. However, as you grow up, you have a tendency to meet a lot of people who are prepared to take you down with them - even if you did nothing wrong.
One way this could happen is when they, for example, pressure you into drugs because they don’t want to do it alone. Not only your ‘friend’ but you as well could become drug infused and so both of you will be drug addicts together - if it were to happen. A second way is when you had no part in whatever got them into trouble but then they bring your name into the equation and BAM you’re also in trouble - possibly more so than your ‘friend’.
Basically you want to drop them like they’re a hot potato because you are so much better than getting burnt.
When you speak and the person with whom you’re speaking with doesn’t listen, what do you do? You try to get their attention so they listen to what you’re saying, right?
That’s exactly what Emma Sulkowicz did when her complaint for the mishandling of her sexual-assault case fell on her university’s deaf ears. And she caught their attention in a really massive way.
On the first day of her fall semester at Columbia University, she brought the twin-size mattress from her dorm room in school and carried it around all day. The mattress, where she was raped by a fellow student two years ago, represents not only the actual crime that was committed against her, but also the emotional weight—the burden—of having such abuse happen to her with no consequence for her abuser and of being ignored by authorities. She calls this performance art “Mattress Performance or Carry That Weight,” which she is doing not only for her thesis, but also to call to protest, and attention the injustice that has been done to her—she will not stop carrying it until her rapist no longer attends the same school as her, even if it will take until the day of her graduation.
Ever since she started, she has been garnering a lot of attention. It is quite difficult to ignore someone lugging around a long, heavy mattress all around campus, especially if it’s for a significant and powerful cause. Her protest is being noticed not only by people in the university, but by people all around the world. Her performance art made some buzz on social media, and she even landed the cover of New York magazine, with a feature on her story. Her movement is so powerful, that she has become the symbol of the fight against rape culture.
So what is rape culture? It’s not really just a group of people who promotes rape, but a society that collectively thinks that rape is acceptable. Rape culture consists of “practices that we engage in as a society that excuse or otherwise tolerate sexual violence.”
Rape culture is blaming victims for what happened to them. Rape culture is justifying their rape based on what they were wearing, or how they were acting, prior to their rape. Rape culture is calling victims who report their rape “liars,” that they’re “overreacting,” and that they probably deserved what happened to them.
Rape culture is letting rapists run free, with no consequences whatsoever. Rape culture is only 3% of rapists serving a day in jail.
Rape culture is joking and making light of a violent crime. Rape culture is t-shirts and other merchandise with slogans that make rape a joke.
Rape culture is having media, songs, shows, movies, that objectify women, that sexualise them. Rape culture is making men in charge of women’s sexuality instead of having women themselves be in control of their own bodies.
Rape culture is saying that men who are raped shouldn't complain, that they should enjoy it. Rape culture is refusing to acknowledge that anyone can get raped regardless of gender.
Rape culture is the fetishization of minorities: of people of color, of trans people, of non-binary people, of genderfluid people, of non-monosexual people. Rape culture is refusing to kink-shame sexually immoral and illegal acts like pedophilia.
Rape culture is pornography that is easily accessible, pornography that always depicts sexual violence and dominance towards women. Rape culture is sex workers who are dehumanized constantly.
Rape culture is saying that rape is just “kinky” sex, when it is in fact an act of violence. Rape culture is teaching how not to get raped instead of not to rape.
The list goes on and on, and rape culture will not end unless we, as a society, make active steps to fight towards it, even in simple ways. We may not all be like Emma Sulkowicz who is strong and brave enough to carry the symbol of her oppression, but we can help her carry the weight so that victims of rape culture won’t have to suffer anymore.
If you told someone that you were hearing voices in your head, they'd most probably think you belong in an asylum. But here's the funny thing, everyday our head is filled with so many voices that it's a wonder that we are all still sane. We hear the voices of our friends, families, the celebrities we admire and even people we barely know, all telling us to do different things based on so many contrasting beliefs and opinions. With all these screaming in your head, finding your own voice is a challenge. It's like going into an intricate labyrinth. It is not hard to lose yourself in that sea of voices. It's not hard to just let what people say about you put you down. It's not hard to just let yourself go and just let them use you. Which is why we must not lose that voice and be able to fight for our own. This is an article that shows you how.
How will you be able to fight for something that you can't even distinguish? Finding yourself, your voice, is not an easy task. In fact, it's the most difficult step. As they say, the beginning is always the hardest. A lot of people get stuck here. It's ironic really, you lose yourself in the process of trying to find yourself. The reason behind this is that people complicate things. You really don't need a worldwide adventure to recognize who you are. You already know what kind of person you are. You've been building this person all your life. It's in your subconscious. It's in all the decisions you have made. Finding yourself is just a matter of recognizing what you believe in, what you want to do, what your favorite color is. That mix of everything you do, everything you say, everything you see, all of that makes up you. There's really no definite word to describe who you are because that person is worth much more than words.
Often times, people are put down because they do not have self-confidence. They don't believe in themselves, in their own voice. So society says, why should I believe in you? Having faith and respect for yourself is so essential in life. Without it, you are just an empty shell, going through life. You let other people, the voices, tell you who you're supposed to be because you have no respect for yourself. Which is why I'm telling you now, love who you are. Love everything about you. Let them call you every name they can because once you've believed in yourself, those voices don't matter anymore. You've been hearing this same advice all your life. Don't let it reach to the point where you have too many regrets already. Have love and respect for yourself and the rest will follow.
There has been so many times where we have been put down by so many people; it becomes countless and tiring. You lose faith really. Do not let yourself succumb to those thoughts of giving up. Fight back. Tell everyone who has ever thought that you were nothing, that you could not reach the goal, that you were beneath them, to just stop because you know you're not, and no amount of taunting could ever put you down. Fight because you, yes, you who is reading this, is worth fighting for.
After finding, believing, and fighting for yourself, this is the easiest step. You'll realize that all those voices in your head, all those voices that have destroyed you so many times, mean nothing anymore. You realize they're just voices and their effect on you was purely by choice. Letting go of them, is not even needed anymore by this time because you've already let go. You'll look in the mirror and see a happier person. A person who smiles a bit more, stands up a little straighter, and just glows with self-confidence.
Now, after you've pushed all those voices out, slowly hand pick a few and let them in. Let in the voices that matter. Find the voices which will help to continuously make a better you. After reading steps 1-4, you might think that it's pretty crazy for you to do that. Well it's not. Think back to all those times where you felt like nothing because no one would listen to your concrete and sound advice. Don't be that person who you loathed before for not listening to you. Be a person who knows how to distinguish the good from the bad voices, and be an inspiration for others to do the same.