I have always been drawn to strong women, independent women, and all that they stand for, and having listened to Beyonce’s song PRETTY hurts, man oh man, it was love at first listen.

” Pretty hurts

Shine the light on whatever’s worst

“Perfection is the disease of a nation

Pretty hurts

Shine the light on whatever’s worst

Tryna fix something

But you can’t fix what you can’t see

It’s the soul that needs the surgery”- Beyonce, Pretty Hurts

There is so much truth ingrained in Beyonce’s song, so much truth is woven to offload. The melody articulates about a contemporary young lady dealing with body image issues, elucidates the idea of a crippled society that depicts attractiveness standards that are unattainable and detrimental to young women. However, women can confound the tension to cling to these standards and be happy with their bodies and themselves. Men, on the other hand, experience the same intimidation. What they fail to realize is, it’s possible to overcome the pressure to adhere to these standards and be happy with their bodies. Men’s insecurities are submerged with elusive notions of what their bodies are supposed to look like. 

The road to discovering wholeness means falling in love with one-self. It means seeing, at first glance, how incredible one is. It means taking the time to put one-self first and celebrating each success. It means building the inner soul up after falling and speaking words of love and encouragement to the heart when emotionally drained.

The song is impactful when we realize that pain and beauty are intertwined. In her song, Beyonce comprehends that it is incomprehensible to divorce discomfort from the immaculate feminist aesthetic because society is smitten with bodily epitome that it has overlooked how to take care of the soul. Women and men are willing to inflict discomfort on themselves, to be beautiful because society has put so much strain on depicting the concept of having a flawless body rather than embracing the one women and men have been endowed with naturally. 

The African you should celebrate all you are and the comforts that comes with being you. As long as you allow others to define you, you will always be an option and never original to yourself.

Stay you, Love you!