Brains or Beauty
You don’t get to
Feel insulted
If I can’t take your compliment
You’re beautiful
You’re sexy
Your body looks great
I don’t see it that way
When I look into the mirror
I don’t see confidence
I see a broken down
Uncaring for her appearance
Just picked whatever clothes girl
You see I thought
It was a choice
Brains or beauty
You either got a man
Who loved you for you
Or loved you for your body
I picked brains
I thought I picked right
I picked self-neglect
See now I know
It’s not a choice
I pick both
But that doesn’t erase
Years of self-fulfilling prophecies
And the media’s false dichotomies
It doesn’t just magically
Give me confidence
And unshakeable nerves
It just gives me awareness
Of how screwed up I was
And so many are
So don’t just stand there
Tell me I’m beautiful
And think that’s enough
Call out the myth propagators
Tell me I’m smart
And repeat to me that I’m beautiful
I’m just not used to hearing it
From you
Or from myself
By Alexia Côté
