Tbh, y'all, selfies are amazing.
Like a lot of old people and cranky new people like to shit on our so-called "selfie" culture cause it supposedly makes us narcissistic or whatever, but, honestly, people taking selfies is pretty darn awesome.
People forget that human beings are already hella fucking narcissistic. Like, we used to sit for HOURS waiting for someone to paint us into permanency simply because we wanted to be seen. And don't tell me these old school basics didn't do a paint-and-portrait version of photoshop! (Portraitshop?) They totally did.
"Make sure to edit my skin tone to look like I don't put lead-based powder on it! And edit out my gangrene, too. Thanks, peasant."
Now the old people want to complain because we have a cheaper alternative? Nah.
Y'all can take a seat. In fact, y'all can take several rows.
(Personally, as a tragic Marxist [on some days, anyway], I happen to believe that it's fucking adorable af when people who aren't rich can also have pics of themselves. Like, equality, bitches!)
A selfie is a work of art, bitches.
Now, I'm a compulsive selfie-taker. I take them all the time. Those of you whom are lucky enough to know me in person and follow me on instagram know that I take selfies consistently. I promote hashtag abuse, too. I'm totally pro-selfie.
Especially considering that we live in a society that is constantly tearing us down for being who we are, for being non-white, too fat, and/or outside of the norm, selfies are a act of radical self love.
Recently, during my ill-maneuvered moment in collegiate speech forensics, I came across this poem on selfies and it just spoke to me on a deep personal level. It was essentially reflecting my deep love for selfies and selfie culture, especially in a racial and ethnic context.
We are taking back our images, we are owning ourselves; by taking selfies we are taking ownership of ourselves and telling the world that this is what we choose to look like!
I mean, is it always cute? Nah. Sometimes we need to stop, tbh. And I def include myself in this.(Although, if you're doing it for attention, please stop. Do it because you love yourself not because you need others to love you!) But that doesn't stop the selfie struggle. It doesn't devalue the fact that we're essentially establishing our own image and owning who we are.
Especially as people of color, considering the history of colonialism and colonization and how our images have been twisted by the dominant for capitalist and political gain, taking selfies and proclaiming to world that we fucking exist, regardless of opposition, and that we're here to fucking stay.
#SlayingYourFaves