Photography By Andrea Brewer

In high school I was so terrified of being considered "girly."

Being looked at as girly equaled being boring, annoying, high maintenance, high strung, and uncool. I always felt like I had to maintain a "one of the boys" look and lifestyle to truly be different and accepted in the way I wanted to be. I dressed "boyish", played violent video games, skated, surfed, ate junk food, was "laid back" at all times, all of that stuff.

I do genuinely enjoy these things for the most part, but the reason why I was doing them was very unhealthy.

I now realize being a girl is so much more than I ever allowed myself to see back then. Life is so much better now that I have embraced my femininity and refuse to let it have a negative definition due to social pressures.

I'm not afraid of the color pink anymore and getting my nails done and doing my hair and makeup and wearing pretty clothes.

I realize now I can do whatever and look however the I want, because I'm a human first, and a woman second.

I hate the great divide between male and female and what that has to look like.