„@harnaamkaur and I are tired of your shitty gender roles. We shot this series for @theparallelmag to challenge what people are “allowed to do.” She has a beard due to a medical condition. She loves it and kills it! As for me, I just want to wear a skirt sometimes cuz I think it can look dope! The fact we socially relegate these fashion and styling attributes to certain genders just seems so frivolous and dangerous when you consider how aggressive people get when their confronted with these things that don’t fit into their understanding of how the world works. At the end of the day, just be yourself and love yourself and don’t judge others who are living that way. Think outside the parameters that we are lead to believe are absolute and see the world as it is! Much love to all of you!“
~ stayragged.tumblr.com

This resonates very much with my love for freedom of self expression and a global unity in diversity.
And I have to admit my beard crush as a the passionately beard averse I am when I look at @harnaamkaur‘s silky beard.

Here is something to contemplate for those who feel the need to reject, denigrate and shame others for their self expression or body:

„I am fond of reminding my yoga students of the saying “It takes one to know one” when they become lost I condemnation and judgment of others. The world that we perceive is a reflection of our own states of mind and reveals our own level of consciousness. The world is little more than a Rorschach blot in which we see our own desire systems projected. We see what we want to see.“
Prem Prakash

Wouldn’t it be easier to accept all of yourself and find peace and joy within as without? At minimum worth a try or two.

?: @sophieephotos
?: @kateoffthewall
?: @roxannechanelmurray

The post On Gender Roles appeared first on Venuskind.

This mean ego move is not unknown to me, I have been doing this and might be in the danger of doing so when triggered, out of ignorance and lack of sensitivity.

I understand the discomfort with labels some might feel with a view to how many people utilize them as a means of setting themselves apart, exotizing the other or rendering the unique human being behind it invisible in any other way.
I get the subtle ways words and labels can have a self-limiting and -isolating effect if we are not mindful. “I AM” is a very powerful self programming sequence that can be useful or create unexpected suffering when chosen unwisely.

Rejecting the use of any labels or self chosen prescriptive of others is an expression of a lack of respect and understanding of another human’s equality and sovereignty. It speaks to me of the person’s lack of freedom to be all of who he truly is due to strict critical and judgmental self-management.
Not using labels, as a shorthand to convey multi-layered concepts, ideas or identities without adequate explanations is showing a lack in communication skills and understanding of its challenges. When you side-step labels to monologize on their content you might be in danger of being disrespectful of another’s time and communication preferences.
If using an appropriate label gives you a feeling of being “less than” our being out of your league and makes you reject and reframe the meaning the labels instead it speaks of old pain of being shamed to me.

I have compassion for internal conflicts and protective patterns but fiercely oppose the externalization that hurts another’s feeling or becomes part of systemic oppression.
Our discomfort and pain are invitations to inquire, to educate ourselves and use the tools of language even if they are lacking. When we follow that invitation and explore we inevitably will be met in our shared humanity and enriched by the diversity of lived and embodied realities and the kaleidoscope of insights it affords those open to receive.

The freedom of some to relabel themselves and their preferences is an act of liberation for all, opening the pathway to understanding our society and freeing ourselves from any label that limits our self expression.

Respecting everyone’s freedom of expression and choice of labels is a small admission fee to our own freedom, don’t you think?

The post Labels and Fragility appeared first on Venuskind.