” Suck your belly in , smile more, smile as if you mean it, wear tighter skirts, wear something less revealing- it looks like you are asking for it, hide your acne otherwise you are not pretty, how much make-up did you put on? Wear a push-up bra- boys like it if you have boobs, cover-up your boobs, why would you show them off? let your hair down, why did you cut them so short- boys don’t like them this way, eat more, eat less, don’t drink all this coffee you are going to destroy your body, cover-up your strech marks, don’t post only pictures of yourself- it looks like you don’t have other interests, post something with yourself, otherwise it’s so wannabe, smoking is so not sexy, stop talking too much- boys don’t like that, talk more- you’re so akward, wait for hime to make the first move, stop wearing baggy clothes- these are for boys, girls are not supposed to drink-stop”
“Are you even going to the gym? You look so thin- girls don’t like that, they want you to be more muscular, stop eating this much- you are fat, you need to work out more, why are hitting the gym again- is that all you care about? stop ctying- boys don’t cry, don’t paint your nails- that’s what girls do, why do you keep wearing these jeans- don’t you have another pair? You need to dress-up, you need to dress- down, you are putting too much effort on it, stop posting all these artistic posts- you are a boy, why do you keep uploading only your body? Boys swear-you need to start swearing, don’t show your emotions, you need to act tuff in front of girls, don’t be so distant, you need to be more amusing, you need to have guts, you need to make the first move-not the girl, you still haven’t grown a beard? Such a baby! Smoking is sexy, will you stay-in and study on a Saturday night? That’ s so lame. How could you get such low-grades? Are you stupid? Act like you don’t care, boys don’t cry- stop.”
In a society that keeps telling you how to act, how to change in order to fit in- stop.
Keep being that something authentic.
Art work: D.P., 15 years old
Text: A.A., 17 years old.