#consruct

Pretty is artifice. Pretty is a construct, and a social construct at that. Pretty can be fun to do, to learn, to practice, to hone; but pretty can also be damaging. When I worked at Ben & Jerry’s during undergrad, I noticed that on days I wore makeup, people were nicer to me. Our society ascribes value to women based on how well they’ve achieved this artifice to suit current trends and values. A woman’s appearance is often discussed before or / and more than her personality, beliefs, passions, or achievements. Especially when those passions and achievements have nothing to do with creating this artifice.