“When I first learned that no one could ever love me more than me.”
This is the first line from 17-year-old Savannah Brown’s slam poem, “What guys look for in girls,” which has generated more than 1.1 million viewers on YouTube.
Brown initiated the slam poem in response to teen social media celebrity Nash Grier’s YouTube video with the same title.
Grier’s nine-minute video features two fellow young male YouTube stars as they discuss their definition of the ideal girl.
In the beginning of the video, they introduce examples of the perfect partner, such as a girl who can “make you a better you.”
The video quickly shifts to talking about a girl’s physical characteristics. Grier and his friends dismiss girls with “fake tits” and “with no personalities.”
I understand the desire to partner with someone that has a personality, but it seems to me that everyone has some sort of a personality. What are these teenage boys’ definitions of a “personality?” And if life experience comes into play, how much has their personalities developed at the ripe age of 16?
The video continues to more arbitrary physical aspects of the female form. The YouTube boys continue saying that they are only attracted to girls with natural faces, sparkling smiles and favor girls who are short and petite.
Brown challenges Grier’s video with her motivational words of loving ones self.
Brown’s poem opens with lines about seeking love in others and how people are trained to seek validation.
“Sometimes when I need to meet the me that loves me, I can’t find her/ A reminder that the mirror is meant to be a curse so I confine her in my mind/ But when he or she shouts, ‘Let me out,’ we’re allowed to listen.”
Majority opinion claims that Brown’s poem is geared towards females, but Brown’s words are carefully placed to relate to both genders.
Brown shares her body image struggles during her adolescence as she tried to fit the mold of the perfect girl. She aimed to be desired by males.
Brown’s poem heartbreakingly says, “hoping, praying to something that I could look beautiful enough today, braces and all/ For the ruthless boys who mercilessly told me I was worthless.”
As I hear Brown’s slam poem, I don’t see it as only a women’s issue in body image and self love but a human issue as well.
The importance behind Brown’s response to Grier’s video is that people, regardless of gender, struggle to find self-acceptance due to the opinions of others.
The root of the matter is that these body image issues begin at the adolescent phase and continue to grow as we age.
We need to take responsibility for these unhealthy standards we place on ourselves.
Brown’s poem ends with the sentiment, “you don’t live to meet credentials established by a madman/ You’re a goddamn treasure, whether you wanna believe it or not/ Maybe that’s what everyone should start looking for.”
Why should we see ourselves as copper pennies when we’re all gold medals?