Unbeauty Mark: Finding the Beauty Within | Ava Viohl | TEDxCulverAcademies

I’d like to start off with a question

I’d like to start off with a question how would you define beauty is it having

how would you define beauty is it having

how would you define beauty is it having the perfect skin the perfect hair or the

the perfect skin the perfect hair or the

the perfect skin the perfect hair or the perfect body the merriam-webster

perfect body the merriam-webster

perfect body the merriam-webster dictionary defines beauty as the quality

dictionary defines beauty as the quality

dictionary defines beauty as the quality or aggregate of qualities in a person or

or aggregate of qualities in a person or

or aggregate of qualities in a person or thing that gives us pleasure to the

thing that gives us pleasure to the

thing that gives us pleasure to the census or pleasurably exalts the mind or

census or pleasurably exalts the mind or

census or pleasurably exalts the mind or spirit from country to country the

spirit from country to country the

spirit from country to country the perception of beauty is vastly different

perception of beauty is vastly different

perception of beauty is vastly different and qanitin’ continuously changes as the

and qanitin’ continuously changes as the

and qanitin’ continuously changes as the idea evolves two summers ago I had the

idea evolves two summers ago I had the

idea evolves two summers ago I had the opportunity to get a glimpse into what

opportunity to get a glimpse into what

opportunity to get a glimpse into what Beauty means to the Burmese men and

Beauty means to the Burmese men and

Beauty means to the Burmese men and women living in the mela refugee camp as

women living in the mela refugee camp as

women living in the mela refugee camp as I explored the camp and spoke to the

I explored the camp and spoke to the

I explored the camp and spoke to the refugees I couldn’t help but notice the

refugees I couldn’t help but notice the

refugees I couldn’t help but notice the makeup they were on a day-to-day basis

makeup they were on a day-to-day basis

makeup they were on a day-to-day basis known as Tanaka a cosmetic paste used on

known as Tanaka a cosmetic paste used on

known as Tanaka a cosmetic paste used on the face or arms I later learned that

the face or arms I later learned that

the face or arms I later learned that this paste has been used by the Burmese

this paste has been used by the Burmese

this paste has been used by the Burmese men and women for centuries this

men and women for centuries this

men and women for centuries this tradition passed down by the men and

tradition passed down by the men and

tradition passed down by the men and women of Burma sparked my interest in

women of Burma sparked my interest in

women of Burma sparked my interest in what the true meaning of beauty is is it

what the true meaning of beauty is is it

what the true meaning of beauty is is it the makeup we wear is it the clothes we

the makeup we wear is it the clothes we

the makeup we wear is it the clothes we dress ourselves in or is it something

dress ourselves in or is it something

dress ourselves in or is it something bigger something deeper within us in New

bigger something deeper within us in New

bigger something deeper within us in New Zealand the Maori people have been

Zealand the Maori people have been

Zealand the Maori people have been decorating their faces with tattoos

decorating their faces with tattoos

decorating their faces with tattoos called moko for centuries similar to the

called moko for centuries similar to the

called moko for centuries similar to the Burmese men and women the Maori women

Burmese men and women the Maori women

Burmese men and women the Maori women used these tattoos to express their

used these tattoos to express their

used these tattoos to express their beauty in Mauritania located in western

beauty in Mauritania located in western

beauty in Mauritania located in western Africa the phrase bigger-is-better

Africa the phrase bigger-is-better

Africa the phrase bigger-is-better applies when it comes to beauty

applies when it comes to beauty

applies when it comes to beauty standards amongst women from a young age

standards amongst women from a young age

standards amongst women from a young age as young as seven girls are forced to

as young as seven girls are forced to

as young as seven girls are forced to eat large quantities of couscous and

eat large quantities of couscous and

eat large quantities of couscous and goat’s milk to gain weight rapidly

goat’s milk to gain weight rapidly

goat’s milk to gain weight rapidly consuming up to 16,000 calories a day

consuming up to 16,000 calories a day

consuming up to 16,000 calories a day that’s about four point four pounds of

that’s about four point four pounds of

that’s about four point four pounds of food a day in contrast to the United

food a day in contrast to the United

food a day in contrast to the United States stretchmarks and rolling layers

States stretchmarks and rolling layers

States stretchmarks and rolling layers of fat are sought-after and praised in

of fat are sought-after and praised in

of fat are sought-after and praised in Mauritania social cost

Mauritania social cost

Mauritania social cost social constructs of beauty in

social constructs of beauty in

social constructs of beauty in mauritania the United States and

mauritania the United States and

mauritania the United States and worldwide are guaranteed to have

worldwide are guaranteed to have

worldwide are guaranteed to have negative consequences on young people

negative consequences on young people

negative consequences on young people and society as a whole the desire for

and society as a whole the desire for

and society as a whole the desire for large figures in mauritania has resulted

large figures in mauritania has resulted

large figures in mauritania has resulted in obesity and low self-image amongst

in obesity and low self-image amongst

in obesity and low self-image amongst women leaving girls searching for their

women leaving girls searching for their

women leaving girls searching for their value in the opinion of others worried

value in the opinion of others worried

value in the opinion of others worried that being thin will result in them

that being thin will result in them

that being thin will result in them being unwanted by men and tormented by

being unwanted by men and tormented by

being unwanted by men and tormented by their friends and family like any other

their friends and family like any other

their friends and family like any other country in the United States has

country in the United States has

country in the United States has undergone a beauty revolution beginning

undergone a beauty revolution beginning

undergone a beauty revolution beginning with rubenesque figures in the 1800’s

with rubenesque figures in the 1800’s

with rubenesque figures in the 1800’s the new Beauty standard today revolves

the new Beauty standard today revolves

the new Beauty standard today revolves around an obsession with models movies

around an obsession with models movies

around an obsession with models movies and unattainable standards of perfection

social constructs around the world have

social constructs around the world have resulted in negative effects on boys and

resulted in negative effects on boys and

resulted in negative effects on boys and girls resulting in approximately 8

girls resulting in approximately 8

girls resulting in approximately 8 million people affected by eating

million people affected by eating

million people affected by eating disorders in the United States alone I

disorders in the United States alone I

disorders in the United States alone I am one of those eight million it first

am one of those eight million it first

am one of those eight million it first began with a photo specifically my

began with a photo specifically my

began with a photo specifically my eighth-grade choir class photo I was 13

eighth-grade choir class photo I was 13

eighth-grade choir class photo I was 13 at the time and the first thing I

at the time and the first thing I

at the time and the first thing I thought when I saw it was I’m fat what

thought when I saw it was I’m fat what

thought when I saw it was I’m fat what began is wanting to lose a couple pounds

began is wanting to lose a couple pounds

began is wanting to lose a couple pounds soon turned into something very

soon turned into something very

soon turned into something very self-destructive and toxic I became

self-destructive and toxic I became

self-destructive and toxic I became obsessed with numbers counting calories

obsessed with numbers counting calories

obsessed with numbers counting calories and watching the number on the scale

and watching the number on the scale

and watching the number on the scale drop I began to equate my value with

drop I began to equate my value with

drop I began to equate my value with being thin I thought that the thinner I

being thin I thought that the thinner I

being thin I thought that the thinner I was the more beautiful I’d become while

was the more beautiful I’d become while

was the more beautiful I’d become while I was wrong

I was wrong

I was wrong three years and 30 pounds later with

three years and 30 pounds later with

three years and 30 pounds later with constant support I’ve learned that sorry

constant support I’ve learned that sorry

constant support I’ve learned that sorry I’ve learned that my body is beautiful

I’ve learned that my body is beautiful

I’ve learned that my body is beautiful regardless of its imperfections I’ve

regardless of its imperfections I’ve

regardless of its imperfections I’ve learned that beauty is so much more than

learned that beauty is so much more than

learned that beauty is so much more than the gap between your thighs or the size

the gap between your thighs or the size

the gap between your thighs or the size of your jeans surrounded by magazines

of your jeans surrounded by magazines

of your jeans surrounded by magazines movies and social media that emphasize

movies and social media that emphasize

movies and social media that emphasize the imperfections and blemishes of young

the imperfections and blemishes of young

the imperfections and blemishes of young teens and adults makes it seem nearly

teens and adults makes it seem nearly

teens and adults makes it seem nearly impossible to move past the surface

impossible to move past the surface

impossible to move past the surface layer well I’d say it’s time to move

layer well I’d say it’s time to move

layer well I’d say it’s time to move past the surface layer and have the

past the surface layer and have the

past the surface layer and have the courage to break through the social

courage to break through the social

courage to break through the social constructs of beauty so what’s your on

constructs of beauty so what’s your on

constructs of beauty so what’s your on beauty mark what I mean by this is what

beauty mark what I mean by this is what

beauty mark what I mean by this is what part of yourself doesn’t fit society’s

part of yourself doesn’t fit society’s

part of yourself doesn’t fit society’s construct of beauty

construct of beauty

construct of beauty what part of yourself bothers you the

what part of yourself bothers you the

what part of yourself bothers you the most is it the size of your thighs is it

most is it the size of your thighs is it

most is it the size of your thighs is it your cellulite is it the fat on your

your cellulite is it the fat on your

your cellulite is it the fat on your hips we must look past the way our

hips we must look past the way our

hips we must look past the way our society defines beauty we must we must

society defines beauty we must we must

society defines beauty we must we must love and embrace our own beauty marks

love and embrace our own beauty marks

love and embrace our own beauty marks because they are the building blocks of

because they are the building blocks of

because they are the building blocks of the beautiful loving and intelligent you

the beautiful loving and intelligent you

the beautiful loving and intelligent you we must remember that somewhere in this

we must remember that somewhere in this

we must remember that somewhere in this world there’s a country culture or tribe

world there’s a country culture or tribe

world there’s a country culture or tribe that would consider your own beauty mark

that would consider your own beauty mark

that would consider your own beauty mark the ideal beauty as a society and as

the ideal beauty as a society and as

the ideal beauty as a society and as individuals we must learn to talk about

individuals we must learn to talk about

individuals we must learn to talk about beauty in an empowering and inspiring

beauty in an empowering and inspiring

beauty in an empowering and inspiring way rather than picking and probing at

way rather than picking and probing at

way rather than picking and probing at imperfections now is the time to stand

imperfections now is the time to stand

imperfections now is the time to stand up for your own beauty marks now is the

up for your own beauty marks now is the

up for your own beauty marks now is the time to love the real you thank you

time to love the real you thank you

time to love the real you thank you [Applause]