#FreeTheNipple

Feminism today is usually dismissed as a dirty word. When most people think of a feminist they think of hairy, anti-men women who are probably the way they are because of a bad breakup however that is far from the truth. Feminism doesn’t mean women want to be the overruling sex, it means wanting gender equality and being seen as equal to men.

One topic of conversation that has been on a few lips recently is the debate of whether or not to free the female nipple. (Emphasis on female because of course the male nipple can be shown in public despite the only difference is a matter of extra tissue.) I, a 15 year old, can understand that the reason why women can’t walk as freely as men or even breastfeed their children is because of the female body being sexualised by pornography. The majority of people reading this were probably breastfed so why is this such a taboo subject? Some may say it will lead to more rapes however it is legalised in most European countries and they are among the safest places in the world for women to be.

Whenever I bring this subject of ‘free the nipple’ to others all I hear is “I don’t want to see it,” but once I explain that we’re raised to think it is wrong the kind of understand it clearer. The breasts are simply there to feed babies- nothing more and nothing less. I would also like to state breasts are not a sex organ so the excuse that breasts are equivalent to the vagina and penis is stupid.  So why is it so wrong?

It is true, we still live in a man’s world where men still get paid more than women and they are still allowed to do more things compared to women. People need to stop regarding feminism as a dirty word and start standing up for gender equality. Women in the past died to get us where women are today so it is owed to them to be finally seen as equal.

I hope this post has made people thing more than anything.

Lots of Love,

On Marz

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Concert Review – Christina Grimmie and Before you Exit

Last night I went to the Christina Grimmie and Before you Exit concert in Manchester. The concert was possibly the smallest concert I’ve ever been to- I would say there were no more than 50 people there! Anyway, this is my review of last night’s events.

The opening act was Hannah Trigwell. She came onto the stage and looked at the size of the crowd and pulled a face which I found a little rude but it was probably just shock. She was singing really slow acoustic songs which I didn’t think really suited the artists she was opening for however her talent is undeniable and if you’re into acoustic songs I would recommend her because he voice is faultless.

After a 10 minute interval, Before you Exit came on. The crowd just lit up with energy and everyone was having a good time. They’re one of the best live bands I have ever seen. Listening to them live was just like listening to them on their EP. They played most (if not all) of their songs on their EP including covers. Their cover of Uptown Funk by Bruno Mars and Mark Ronson was faulted and it had everyone singing- even the people who were there for Christina. They also connect really well with the crowd, Connor even jumping into it several times. They said something along the lines of ‘this has been our favourite gig,’ which was really sweet to say me and my friend were predicting that because of the low turnout that they would never return to Manchester again but now I hope they will.

I had never heard of Christina Grimmie until the concert and I have to say I was really presently surprised. Her music sounded quite rocky which really intrigued me. I made some friends and 2 of them were literally her biggest fans and I really wanted to know what the fuss was over and now I understand. I only knew the covers she did and they were all so amazing. It even got really emotional when she sang a song she dedicated to her mum on the Voice US. I have to admit, I even cried. At the end, Before you Exit joined Christina and her band on stage and it was amazing. It was the perfect end to a perfect evening. As soon as I have finished writing this I need to find her on youtube.

The concert was amazing even despite the low turnout. The crowd was buzzing and the talent in the room was amazing. I was really happy I got to meet some lovely people as well. One of my favourite concert experiences and I would recommend all these artists to see again live.

My Fightening Future

It’s 20 past 5 in the evening, I am currently sat in my pyjamas and listening to a song called ‘1998’ by a band called Peace. Today I want to look around a college and it suddenly dawned on me that my whole adult life is not only around the corner, but all up to me. The thought of it frightens me to death.

At school, I have pretty good grades. I am not lower than a B in any of my subjects at this current moment in time (excusing the fact I know I didn’t do as well as I could have in my recent biology exam but I haven’t got the results to them back yet.) Today, I went to History, English, Photography and Art classes and I’m really upset to say that the only one that appealed to me was my Art class. I can’t give you an expiation on why I didn’t particularly like the others, I just didn’t. What doesn’t help is that I have no clue on what I want to do in the future. I don’t particularly like the fact that I have to pick a career at 15 so I can base my exams around them. I want to be a primary school teacher however at the same time I want to be a fashion blogger, a photographer, an art teacher and a therapist. It’s so hard to choose when you have so many possibilities and chances.

When I was younger, I just presumed that everyone becomes famous and I was really okay with that. I always wanted to be a singer however this dream was flawed by the fact I have very little confidence in myself, I have no self-esteem and I am probably the worst singer you will ever hear. Ever. Now I’m 15 and my future is literally right around the corner and I have to decide and I don’t feel ready.

All day today, almost every single teacher gave us the ‘your future starts now’ and the ‘your future is in your hands’ speech. I never really thought of my future that much but now I know how important my actions and decisions are. What I need to do is be determined and focus on me and the obstacles in my way that I can overcome to get where I need to be.

It’s now 6pm and I’m still in my pyjamas and now listening to ‘Drunk in Love’ by Beyoncé. Not a lot has changed within the last 40 minutes of writing this, however writing this has given me a vague idea of what I have to do to get to where I want to be in my life.

With love,

On Marz

Xx

P.s – apologise if this post confused you. I needed to get this off my chest. I huge thank you if you managed to reach the end without yawning.

How to get rid of zits

There is nothing worse than those pesky little zits that get under your skin. And to add, there is not a more disgusting feeling than having to cover them up with make-up. Zits are painful, ugly and most of all, annoying. I’ve decided to help people get rid of those pests as quickly as possible!

1. Do not overload on products to prevent breakouts! Think of all the chemicals you are putting on your face! Always read the label and never put too much on all at one. I learnt the hard way.
2. Also, don’t overload the make-up. As much as you want to cover up them annoying pests, you maybe worsening the situation. Make-up gets trapped in pores causing you know what- zits. Always make sure you take off your make-up on a night. Also, learnt the hard way.
3. Let your skin breathe. Or better still, your skin will love you for those make-up free days and your skin will seriously feel great.
4. Drink Water! This is the most important tip. Water is your new best friend. It gives your skin the moisture it needs. About 50-75% of your body is water. As your skin is the largest organ of the human body, it is affected when you don’t drink a certain amount of water. Toxins, bodily waste and bacteria can all be trapped within your skin without water to flush them out. Also, why not kill 2 birds with 1 stone, water helps your brain function, maintains energy levels, regulates body temperature, aids in digestion, and ultimately keeps your body healthy. Pretty helpful.

If you find this post in anyway helpful, please share it! Let’s help the world get rid of zits! Also comment your thoughts.

With love,

On Marz x

The New Year

2014 started off in the worst possible way I could think of, I would even say I have never felt so low in my life and I thought that this year was bound to be the worst one yet. However, as the year progressed, it slowly, but surely got better even with the odd hiccup along the way. This year has been responsible for some of the best memories that I will treasure forever like when I went to Paris with my school in July. Although I missed the last week of school and the last week with my form tutor, I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

I already have a few plans for 2015, like the odd concert and catch ups with friends and family, but I want to be more spontaneous in the New Year. I am determine to make 2015 the best year of my life (so far) by saying yes to more things and try to stop letting small things get to me and tare me down. I want to go on more adventures and try new things and hopefully these will lead me to what I want to do in the future. I want to live 2015 by this quote I found, ‘clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add colour to my sunset.’

So on that note, I reluctantly say goodbye to 2014 and hello to 2015 and I wish you all a happy new year and I hope everything goes to plan for you.

With love,

On Marz

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