Dear Friends Who Take Selfies,
I want you to know that I love it when you post pictures of yourself. I know selfies get a lot of bad press, but I think they’re rad. They give me a little window into your life, and you’d be amazed at how much I can get out of one little photo.
I love your pictures because I love seeing what you’re wearing – the outfits you build give me ideas about how to mix it up with my own wardrobe, and seeing you work your shit gives me courage to try clothing that I otherwise might have thought was too outlandish or revealing.
I love seeing how you do your hair and makeup. You look like a hot babe and I wish you would make YouTube tutorials explaining how you get your eyeliner just so. I want you to post pictures every time you change your hair, because seeing you cycle through all those neon colours gives me great ideas about what to do next with my own hair.
I love when you take selfies in your house. It’s neat to see where you live. When your place is cluttered, it makes me feel better about my own messy apartment. When your house is neat, it encourages me to get my shit together and do the damn dishes already. I like seeing the things you own and the art you put on your walls, because those things tells me so much about who you are and what you care about.
I love when you take selfies while on vacation. I don’t get to travel often, so your pictures allow me to live vicariously through you. The excitement on your face when you take a selfie at the Trevi Fountain or by the Arc de Triomphe is perfect and beautiful. I’ve seen a thousand pictures of the Louvre Pyramid, but the most interesting ones are the ones with you in it. If I wanted to see a picture of the Great Wall of China all on its own, I could just google the damn thing. You’re what makes those pictures special.
Mostly I love your selfies because I love seeing you feel good about yourself. I love how your face glows when you look like a million bucks and you know it. I love when you celebrate yourself. You deserve to be celebrated.
It’s easy for people to roll their eyes at selfies and make jokes about girls who just want attention, but the truth is that for lots of women – especially women of colour, trans women, disabled women and all the other women who see their existences erased in mainstream media – posting pictures of themselves is a way of challenging our culture’s narrow beauty standards.
Selfies are a way of saying, “I love myself, and I will fight anyone who tries to change that fact.”
Selfies are not a question. They’re not asking “Do you think I’m pretty?”
Selfies are a statement: “I am here.”
I see you.
I love you.
You matter.
Your selfies are inspirational. That might sound corny, but it’s true. When I see you love yourself, it helps me love myself. I suspect the same is true for lots of other people who see your pictures.
So please keep taking selfies. Please fill my Facebook and Twitter feeds with your wonderful face. Every picture you post fills me with so much joy. I love seeing you.
Obligatory selfie because what else would I add to this post?
The Belle Jar 
An amazing articulate article about selfies and the message underneath it!!!! 🙂
I love this an totally agree! It’s not seeking acceptance, it’s stating who you are.
I just can’t stop laughing.
The positivity of this post is so infectious. Good job.
Shout out to selfies !
😊sweet
Reblogged this on TheJourneyofSheila and commented:
✔️✔️✔️
I dare say I have close to 500 images of myself, from 2014-2015! “Pro-Selfie photographer” keep ’em comin’!!
I love selfies and people who take them too! Great post! 😊
Reblogged this on diary of a black gurl and commented:
Selfies have become a part of us, they tell our story, they live our lives.
Hello Belle Jar writer… if you get this message, and if possible and if you don’t mind, please edit out Wilson the rape-culture frat boy troll’s comments to me after this. You can keep the initial “outing” of him to show other girls who to stay away from… I think that’s important, but I don’t intend on fighting with him in your space and I’m sorry he’s being ugly and offensive here. It’s ridiculous he’s back after he already harassed you so much. If you want to keep his words too, okay, I understand your turf rules and I will just ignore him. Thanks and my best to you and your work.
I think it’s strange how the Belle Jar writer doesn’t care if Wilson is bothering you all. He calls women stalkers for telling him when he’s abusive and inappropriate and now he’s following your blog Tabby? He has no reason to do that to you except he’s sick. Sorry you had to deal with him, but thanks for helping Katherine again. We both appreciate what you do.
Thanks Dave! And Naw, she doesn’t have to
My comment sent by accident, Dave… I mean I’m sure she’s caring. But she doesn’t need to bother with Wilson. He’s not worth the trouble.
Maru said that by Wilson asking if we were all wearing Brownie uniforms like some militant SS, he’s not only infantilizing grown women, but he’s displaying his fetish and where he’s stuck once again. Maru thinks we should all get uniforms now… he’s like wtf, why not? LOL. Not to trivialize the situation at all. The mean spiritedness of the “Wilsons” and “Dereks” as Darth Kater has further pointed out is not amusing. But it’s good to diffuse them of their illusions-dellusions of power. Say hey to Katherine for me!
Reblogged this on What Wo-men Want.
Reblogged this on lifeofelif.
Amazing. I’m traveling right now and this gave me perspective on how others feel about my posts. & so true, we are breaking mainstream media and what is “stereotypically” beautiful one selfie at a time. Loved this post.
Reblogged this on sammerlove's Blog and commented:
I totally agree!!!!
Your outfit is adorable. You gave me a very different perspective on selfies. I sense that you’re a person who has a thankful heart and an appreciation for the little things. 🙂
Reblogged this on onewida.
You inspired me to post about Selfies! as mentioned in a prior comment, I have facebook friends always posting and I love them! Thanks! http://wp.me/p63Yja-3x
Now I don’t feel bad about the 1,000 pics in my phone that are mostly pics of me (about 900 of them lol). Love this post.
Reblogged this on i am sherri winston.
What a wonderful and insightful post. I love when my daughter posts selfies for all the same reasons you mention seeing her find her beauty despite the inundation of cultural images contrary to her own you are beautiful. Thank you!
THIS IS AWESOME AND YOU ARE AWESOME AND THANK YOU
love this!
Reblogged this on kernaghanassociates.
I love taking selfies. It’s like I writing diary by images.
Reblogged this on Sculpture of my Life..
That is sooo soo sweet of you to say thankyou
You have a point though.Selfies give me some kind of happiness caused by seeing myself in a picture that I can share with my friends and family.Somehow it gives confidence to myself and reminding me that I have beauty inside.Thanks for posting this it meant a lot to me 🙂
Reblogged this on Shaming the Crew and commented:
I am myself not fond of taking selfies, but yeah, I definitely love being clicked. I like the way this lady is talking about selfies. A new angle to something I would have just joked about before today.
I thought this was a satire. This better be a satire.
This was a fun read.
Reblogged this on FitMomPR.
I share your opinion.
Selfies are fucking stupid, end of story. It’s given everyone inflated egos and turned everyone into narcissists.
Great observation! Love this
Lovely post! Please check out my blog http://magicwandsandunicorns.com/2015/05/07/wardrobe-essentials-spring-summer-15-part-1/
Reblogged this on mamakasash.
love your post.GOod JOb
Reblogged this on Suite for Words..
I love this post. It makes me want to share my selfies with all my family and friends.
Bubbles x
( 13teens.wordpress.com)
Reblogged this on Gadget Desa.
I am a selfie freak but now after reading this article I’ll be a proud selfie freak thnks for your kind thoughts I am in love with you too
Reblogged this on Pintowski's Blog.
Great selfie! You’re so adorable! 🙂
I agree with this 100 percent! When I was a teen in the 1970s I used to read a very cool music magazine called “Rock Scene.” It was better than the average music magazine because it showed musicians off stage — in real life. To me, “selfies” are the Rock Scene for the common man. I think it’s so great see non-famous people having a lot of fun in their lives — from young to old, rich to poor, it’s just awesome to celebrate yourself. (Not narcissistic AT ALL!)
Keep smiling! xo
Hehe so cute! Congrats on being freshly pressed! I created a new page last month called Real Life Natural Wife. I hope you’ll check it out and leave me a comment with your thoughts. Have a great weekend!
love it 100%
Reblogged this on geeitsyou.
Reblogged this on shangudar.
Reblogged this on CareWare.
*thumbs up*