Blythe Baird, from If My Body Could Speak; “Eat”
[Text ID: “I am trying to stop doing / things that don’t make any sense. Body, / forgive me. I am trying. I am trying. I am still trying.]
When I was a kid, the "Oh my god, you got so big!" comment from grown-ups used to really annoy me, because it felt broadly infantilising. But now, as an adult myself, I realise it had very little to do with me, and almost everything to do with said grown-up feeling suddenly attacked by the passage of time, yet not wanting to blurt out "shit, fuck, I just pissed away like four years of my life without noticing, then, huh?" in front of an 8-year-old.
you need to be earnest. you need to tell people that you love them. you need to speak on how you’re feeling honestly. you need to be sentimental. you need to stop letting the fear of other people laughing at you have so much control over how you express yourself. you need to get over yourself. you need to be embarrassing but true.
*girl letting it happen voice* Its actually soo cruel that i was born to endure and theres nothing to do about it
shaking six year old me by the shoulders YOU WERE RIGHT. YOU WERE RIGHT ABOUT LOVE AND ABOUT FAIRNESS AND ABOUT SHARING IS CARING. YOU WERE RIGHT. THE ADULTS DON’T KNOW ANY MORE ABOUT TRUTH THAN YOU DO. KEEP BELIEVING IN THE FAIRIES AT THE BOTTOM OF THE GARDEN. NOTHING IS “JUST THE WAY IT IS”. I AM SORRY THEY EVER CONVINCED YOU TO FEEL SHAME. YOU ARE REAL AND A PART OF THIS WORLD. YOU WERE RIGHT.
my five year plan? sit in the sun as long as possible. take millions of pictures of sunset. smile more :) hold doors open for people. take a selfie with a penguin. read 237362808 books watch 33563737 movies. be brave & be strong. befriend the neighborhood kids and tell them stories. dont worry about falling in love. FOLLOW JOY.
SUMMER 2023
- UNLEARN THE SHAME
- DANCING IN THE DARK (1984)
- TANK TOP (NO BRA)
- JACK OFF
- SERVE CUNT
- FIND HOLY IN THE MUNDANE
- IGNORE THE DREAD
- BUSH, HAPPY TRAILS, BODY HAIR
- BISEXUALITY
- SHOW YOURSELF GRACE
- BE GENTLE AND KIND
- LET GO OF THE PAST