Michelle Rodriguez Discussion Post #3

As I read this articles I try to reflect back on my own upbringing to see how it fits and I honestly find it hard at times. I didn’t grow up in a “conventional” home though it was a two parent home. My parents separated and I grew up with my dad who eventually remarried my now stepmother with whom he has a child with. My family isn’t religious though they do believe in God. We just don’t find it necessary to visit churches/places of worship to show our faith. As I mentioned in earlier posts, my dad treated my brother, three sisters and I equally and taught us equally. He was the superintendent of the building we lived in and he would teach us all how to do different things in the building such as giving the boiler water in order for the building to have heat or taking any one of us with him on a job to help him out whether it be to hand him tools or to hold a light over him so he could see. He taught us all to change tires and brakes on the car. He liked for us to all “know stuff.” When it came to growing up we were pretty much left to be ourselves. My brother being the only boy inevitably played with dolls and kitchen sets and other toys aimed at girls. No one ever made a big deal out of it. To us it was just toys and toys aid in pretend play. Another thing I remember growing up. was my father/family was big on natural beauty and was always making us feel good about ourselves and that included my brother. From a young age, we were taught to love ourselves regardless of our “insecurities” or what we perceived to be “imperfections.” Though the words used may have differed, such as handsome for my brother or beautiful for my sisters and I, the sentiment remains the same. We were told we didn’t need makeup. My family would always say “makeup may make you look pretty now but down the road you won’t ever be able to go out the house without it because your face will have eventually have holes and stuff from all the years of wearing makeup.” That about made the decision for me. I like how my face is. I did not want to do anything that would damage it.  And now I just do not have the patience to learn to apply makeup and I like the freedom of being able to “get up and go.” Which brings me to style of dress. My parents let us all dress how we wanted with one rule, no short skirts, though this rule didn’t apply to my brother. Other than that we were free to dress in whatever clothing we choose.  I believe my style of dress largely remains the same.  So as I made this chart, it found it a bit hard to decide what “theory” category I would fit it into as I chose hair, makeup, shaved legs and weight and my feelings on each of them.

Hair: I’ve always loved having long hair since I was a young girl. I think long hair is beautiful and enhances ones beauty. At one point I wanted to be a hairstylist and can remember doing my sisters’ hair when I was younger and ultimately deciding that standing on my feet for hours on end doing hair was not for me.

Makeup: I don’t wear makeup though on rare occasion I do put on mascara. My household focused on our natural selves rather than covering up. Sometimes ones whole appearance can change with makeup.

shaved legs: I was taught when I was younger that we shave our legs so they appear nicer when they are clean shaven.

Weight: Although I did grow up in such a positive household, I did/do struggle with weight. I would see on the tv, or my friends in school who were much thinner than me and secretly wish I was that thin. “if only I didn’t have this stomach.” is something I muttered quite often.