Don’t be fat, don’t be too skinny. Don’t eat too much, don’t eat too little. God do you ever stop eating? Woah do you ever eat? The not-so-well-concealed looks of disgust, the not-so-well-concealed looks of concern. Don’t be loud. Don’t be quiet. Have a voice in society, leave the talking to the big boys. You want something, speak up! No, no, when it’s your turn, sweetie. Ugh, she never shuts up, it’s obnoxious. Have you ever heard her talk? I don’t even know what her voice sounds like.
Make sure your skirt is long enough, but not too long. Don’t make yourself too available, but you don’t want to look like a grandma. Show off what you got, but if you do it’s your fault if anything happens. Was your skirt long enough? How is any boy going to look at you if you wear that?
Be smart, but not too smart. Boys like a smarter girl. Boys can’t stand it when you know more than them. Play dumb. Ugh, not that dumb, god, weren’t you even listening? They like a smarter girl. No, no, now you just look like a nerd. Girls don’t belong in the classroom, they have to take care of the kids. You want a well-paying job? Take some incentive and study. You can’t slack off because your a girl.
Do what you love, but don’t. Be yourself, unless it goes against what we say. Do you love to do your hair and makeup? Great, you’re good to go. Approved. Do you love videogames and guns? You’re faking it. You’re lying. You’re pretending. You’re wrong
It’s all wrong. Eat what you love, look how you want, wear the clothes you want, study courses you’re interested in. Drink your coffee black, wear leather in the summer if you’d like, sweats are comfortable, don’t be embarrassed. Don’t be embarrassed to be you, wholly, originally and beautifully. Don’t worry about what they think. Half the time it’s either they don’t think at all or they envy you and want the donut and sweats just as bad.
Walk freely, balancing acts are dumb.
Jeanne wears [ Shop Tobi: Going my way halter top, Cross him out Top]
Photographed by Denisse Benitez