Absolutely agree. The more we chase being like someone else as this epidemic of plastic grows and is now considered “normal,” the more we don’t actually know who we are. You show me a woman with these lips, I’ll show you where she doesn’t know who she fully is after a conversation with her. To me, that’s a literal mask of armor that she chooses to put on herself that brings no health benefit and is in fact a toxin. It is so, so sad to me that we’ve become so lost from ourselves that this is the standard for many now. It’s painful to watch. The natural beauty is stolen from the faces of people who choose to look like this. I just don’t get it. I really don’t.
Yes, definitely something to reflect on! Thanks for writing about it. I was recently made aware that botox is actually botulinum toxin, the most potent toxin (natural or synthetic) known to humans. The fact that this is what we are injecting into our faces and bodies is quite the metaphor.
It's a good prompt to reflect, Mark. When I gaze at myself and recognise the eyes, nose, hair of my ancestors living on in me, it's like their spirits are reminding me of my worth, resilience and place in this world. We are all the living embodiment of that incredible lineage.
Cultivating a perspective of self-compassion, of viewing myself through the loving lens my younger and older selves would have, has created space to celebrate the beauty emanating from the inside out.
Too often we get caught up in comparing ourselves to narrow, culturally-prescribed beauty standards perpetuated by media and social pressures. I feel deep sadness for the women who undergo these procedures - either for themselves or society's fleeting expectations of beauty standards.
Thanks for writing this, Mark, as it’s something a lot of people think but no one feels safe to say. And I have seen how women will talk about it to other women almost like they are trying to sell the procedure to them- so they feel validated in their choice. No matter which way you look at it, their worth is tied to other. Not only do they feel the need to change their appearance to be more (fill in the blank), but they also need the validation of others to feel okay about it. It’s quite sad. 😞
Thank you for this. We need more men speaking up about this epidemic. Women do feel pressure to slow down the physical aging process and we think it’s because you (MEN) prefer us this way. If we can shift the cultural narrative to one of embracing and honoring aging as a right of passage, I believe we will begin to have reverence for the wisdom that comes with aging.
💯. Thank you for this article Mark! We should be aging gracefully, accepting of our lines, curves and wrinkles. Instead society is making us want to look like a mold. Everyone seems to be getting injections of some sort that makes them all look the same - I’d say more of a zombie variation look. 🧟♀️🧟🧟♂️ it ain’t cute.
Also body dysmorphia issues will then followed and you become addicted to more dysmorphia. It’s a sad sad marketing trap that most people are in.
As someone who once loved my natural beauty and surrounded don’t safe later in life with women constantly doing this and I ended up with a botched microblading. It was a hard lesson to walk through. I now live with the scars of both my eyes brows being partially gone because of that choice and look back to see there was nothing wrong with my appearance. Everyday I look at myself and speak love into myself and it has made me recognize this on such a larger scale when we surround ourselves with people who don’t love themselves, a rotten apple rots the apples nearest to them. Thank you for this Mark. Always appreciate that you speak on things I’m witnessing and don’t know how to speak on. 🙏🏽
Completely agree with this. I believe it comes down to a lack of self-acceptance and young women are vulnerable to influence. It’s a sad trend! It really screams ‘I am seeking validation because I don’t accept myself’ and I believe that’s what discerning people will see. Ironically that’s not an attractive trait. It’s shocking how normal surgery, Botox and lip fillers have become in women so young they shouldn’t even be thinking about aging. Someone is making a lot of money from women’s insecurities. It certainly points to a much deeper problem.
I can’t believe how aligned this is. Body Dysmorphia was a topic of discussion with a group of men I was leading the other night, and yesterday I spoke to the pressures of “remaining youthful.” Thank you for your bravery and your words.
I miss real faces. Real lips. I miss people seeing the beauty in real, human features. ♥️♥️♥️
Absolutely agree. The more we chase being like someone else as this epidemic of plastic grows and is now considered “normal,” the more we don’t actually know who we are. You show me a woman with these lips, I’ll show you where she doesn’t know who she fully is after a conversation with her. To me, that’s a literal mask of armor that she chooses to put on herself that brings no health benefit and is in fact a toxin. It is so, so sad to me that we’ve become so lost from ourselves that this is the standard for many now. It’s painful to watch. The natural beauty is stolen from the faces of people who choose to look like this. I just don’t get it. I really don’t.
Yes, definitely something to reflect on! Thanks for writing about it. I was recently made aware that botox is actually botulinum toxin, the most potent toxin (natural or synthetic) known to humans. The fact that this is what we are injecting into our faces and bodies is quite the metaphor.
It's a good prompt to reflect, Mark. When I gaze at myself and recognise the eyes, nose, hair of my ancestors living on in me, it's like their spirits are reminding me of my worth, resilience and place in this world. We are all the living embodiment of that incredible lineage.
Cultivating a perspective of self-compassion, of viewing myself through the loving lens my younger and older selves would have, has created space to celebrate the beauty emanating from the inside out.
Too often we get caught up in comparing ourselves to narrow, culturally-prescribed beauty standards perpetuated by media and social pressures. I feel deep sadness for the women who undergo these procedures - either for themselves or society's fleeting expectations of beauty standards.
Oh Mark. You are going to love my book. Especially the part where I statistically prove that men are not at fault. 😉
Thanks for writing this, Mark, as it’s something a lot of people think but no one feels safe to say. And I have seen how women will talk about it to other women almost like they are trying to sell the procedure to them- so they feel validated in their choice. No matter which way you look at it, their worth is tied to other. Not only do they feel the need to change their appearance to be more (fill in the blank), but they also need the validation of others to feel okay about it. It’s quite sad. 😞
Thank you for this. We need more men speaking up about this epidemic. Women do feel pressure to slow down the physical aging process and we think it’s because you (MEN) prefer us this way. If we can shift the cultural narrative to one of embracing and honoring aging as a right of passage, I believe we will begin to have reverence for the wisdom that comes with aging.
💯. Thank you for this article Mark! We should be aging gracefully, accepting of our lines, curves and wrinkles. Instead society is making us want to look like a mold. Everyone seems to be getting injections of some sort that makes them all look the same - I’d say more of a zombie variation look. 🧟♀️🧟🧟♂️ it ain’t cute.
Also body dysmorphia issues will then followed and you become addicted to more dysmorphia. It’s a sad sad marketing trap that most people are in.
Amen 🙏🏽
Well said Mark!
As someone who once loved my natural beauty and surrounded don’t safe later in life with women constantly doing this and I ended up with a botched microblading. It was a hard lesson to walk through. I now live with the scars of both my eyes brows being partially gone because of that choice and look back to see there was nothing wrong with my appearance. Everyday I look at myself and speak love into myself and it has made me recognize this on such a larger scale when we surround ourselves with people who don’t love themselves, a rotten apple rots the apples nearest to them. Thank you for this Mark. Always appreciate that you speak on things I’m witnessing and don’t know how to speak on. 🙏🏽
Completely agree with this. I believe it comes down to a lack of self-acceptance and young women are vulnerable to influence. It’s a sad trend! It really screams ‘I am seeking validation because I don’t accept myself’ and I believe that’s what discerning people will see. Ironically that’s not an attractive trait. It’s shocking how normal surgery, Botox and lip fillers have become in women so young they shouldn’t even be thinking about aging. Someone is making a lot of money from women’s insecurities. It certainly points to a much deeper problem.
👏🏼
What a beautiful post. Well spoken! 💛
I can’t believe how aligned this is. Body Dysmorphia was a topic of discussion with a group of men I was leading the other night, and yesterday I spoke to the pressures of “remaining youthful.” Thank you for your bravery and your words.
Totally agree.. Put politely..
Why do people need to do this?
Accept what you have and work with it !!