Paris Jackson Isn’t a Sample Size and She’s Ok With That
Paris Jackson is on a mission to help everybody understand that beauty is not one size fits all.
The budding model and actress is on the cover of the fall 2017 issue of i-D magazine and in the accompanying interview, she opens up about the importance of challenging society’s harmful standards for women and men alike. In an interview conducted over text (which is apparently the only way the young star does interviews now a days), Jackson says that she’s frustrated with being forced to feel insecure about how she matches up to these unattainable stereotypes. “Unfortunately in the world we live in it’s almost impossible to feel comfortable in your skin 24/7. Especially with what the media is constantly feeding us. I still have countless insecurities and fears, like everyone else I know,” she said. “But we’re getting there, slowly but surely. Which is a big reason I want to change this fashion / beauty stigma, so it’s not as difficult for people around the world to feel beautiful just the way they are.”
For Jackson, “Beauty is not measured by numbers, or symmetry, or shapes, or sizes, or colours, or anything like that. Beauty, true beauty, should be measured by the soul, the character, integrity, intentions and mindset of a person, what comes out of their mouth. How they behave. Their heart.” The 19-year-old said she plans on changing society’s damaging ideas of beauty not only by using her platform to push for increased representation and diversity in the fashion industry, but also by publicly embracing her own “imperfect” self. “I’m not symmetrical, I’m not a size zero, I eat hella burgers and endless amounts of pizza. I can’t fit into a runway sample size of designer clothes, I have scars and stretch marks and acne and I have cellulite,” she said. “I’m human. Not a dress-up doll. The idea that we all have to fit one idea of beauty is outrageous and ridiculous because ‘perfection’ is just an opinion.”
Thankfully, according to Jackson, younger generations are more onboard with changing the fashion and beauty landscape than their predecessors. “The new generation is getting older. And that’s what they want, what they are demanding. Change and honesty. Celebrating who they are, who their friends are, random people they meet. They’re sick of reading lies and sick of unrealistic expectations in the media. The rest of the world, the racists, the homophobes, the sexists, they’re getting outnumbered by people with open minds,” she said. “So this world has no choice but to embrace every one else’s beauty. Not just one idea of beauty. It’s such a broad thing, ‘beauty.’ You can’t put into just one template.”
Shortly after the interview was published on Thursday, Jackson took to Twitter to note that although she stands by all of her own words in the conversation, she does not approve of the feature’s introduction, which describes her “privileged—if sheltered and a little strange—existence” as the daughter of the late Michael Jackson and her subsequent struggles with depression, addiction, and suicide attempts. “The intro is definitely NOT something i gave clearance on… so disappointed. #journalists but my answers were LIT so i’m sharing it anyway,” she [tweeted].(https://twitter.com/ParisJackson/status/893045223554600960). (For the record, profile subjects don’t get clearance on completed stories in most magazines. Then again, it’s only a recent phenomenon that cover story interviews are conducted over text.)
In any event, Jackson has previously spoken out about making peace with her own body—so-called flaws and all. Last month, she posted an inspiring tweet about finding beauty in her acne. “Don’t be insecure about your acne or stretch marks. you know what else has spots? pizza. and everyone loves pizza,” she wrote. And in May, she posted a topless photo of herself on Instagram with a caption encouraging her followers to embrace their bodies. “Not only is your body a temple and should be worshipped as so, but also part of feminism is being able to express yourself in your own way, whether it’s being conservative and wearing lots of clothes or showing yourself,” she wrote. “The human body is a beautiful thing and no matter what ‘flaws’ you have, whether it be scars, or extra weight, stretch marks, freckles, whatever, it is beautiful and you should express yourself however you feel comfortable.”
Related: Paris Jackson and Macaulay Culkin Just Got Matching Tattoos
See What’s Trending in W Video:
