My Thoughts on the Don't Judge Challenge, the Confederate flag controversy, Gay Marriage becoming legal here in the US, and the Women's World Cup Finals!

I wanted to talk about a few topics that are in the spotlight recently. First being the Don't Judge Challenge on Twitter. 

The Don't Judge Challenge was started and trended on Twitter by mostly teenagers who had a good idea actually but they did it all wrong. They were trying to show that no matter what you look like you shouldn't be judged but what they did was use make up on themselves to paint on fake pimples, uni brows, big lips, and they put on glasses. They considered that look to be the "ugly" look and then the next thing you see in their videos is them looking like themselves basically all done up and smiling and they considered that "attractive" or "beautiful". The problem was most of these videos the teens in them when they looked "beautiful" they mostly were beautiful or attractive to the standards of society and there is nothing wrong with how they looked but they way they classified what society thinks is "ugly" at first in their videos is what some people actually look like and they can't help it. Like me, I wear glasses and still get pimples and I can't help it. I have had eye problems my whole life and when I see those videos, it doesn't particularly make me feel too good about myself and other people like me. We have self esteem and body issues in society today because of things like the Don't Judge Challenge. There were some people who did the challenge right though. Some people started out looking good with make up on and everything and then they still looked good with no make up on. Basically, everyone is beautiful in their own way. Nobody is perfect and nobody is ugly. I am blessed to have an idol like Lucy Hale who believes all of her Halers are beautiful inside and out just like she is. She lifts us up and would never tell anyone that they are ugly or not good enough. I love Lucy so much! Don't let anyone make you feel like you are ugly and worthless because you are beautiful and have so much worth. Don't let a challenge make you feel bad because you have to wear glasses like me or have a face with acne or any other things. Everyone has flaws but everyone is beautiful despite those flaws you just have to believe it yourself. Also, the people who started the Don't Judge Challenge need to learn how to spell challenge. They spelled it Challange and it trended that way too. How did nobody catch that? Just wondering. Anyway, that's my thought on the Don't Judge Challenge. 

Second topic to be discussed is the Confederate flag controversy. The Confederate flag was the flag of the South during the Civil War. Some people see it as southern heritage or pride others see it as offensive and racist. I can see both sides. I grew up in rural Virginia, the Confederate flag was widely seen and considered normal so I never personally saw a problem with it. Since the tragic shootings of 9 African Americans in Charleston, SC people have been calling for the flag to be removed the state government grounds in Columbia and just today the senate there voted for it's removal. Now the decision rests with the house there. I do hope it eventually gets taken down. We need to move on from that horrible past. Keep the flags in museums or on your own personal property. I didn't like how some people were blaming us white people for the slavery that happen back before and during the Civil War. It isn't fair to blame us for something our ancestors were responsible for. We can't change history. The past is the past. We don't have a time machine or a DeLorean to go back in time and change things. We weren't even thought of yet then when all that took place so blaming us for all that happened then is wrong. Not all white people are racists and bad and neither are all African Americans or any other race/ethnicity for that matter. Racism is alive and well in today's society and as long as there are people who live in the past and won't change they way they think or what they believe no matter what, then racism will always be a part of society and it is sad. Everyone should be treated with kindness and respect. No one should be judged on the color of their skin or anything. White Privilege is also huge in our society today. I truly believe that it does exist and I would never deny it and it's sad. All those who complain that we need a "White Appreciation" day need to stop and realize that that is everyday just watch your TVs and look at pictures in magazines and the Internet. White people are considered the most beautiful and most wanted and it's sad. Everyone is beautiful and everyone should be wanted no matter what color we are. Anyway, I hope the flag gets taken down in South Carolina. There is a person across the street from me who has a flag pole in their backyard now with the Confederate flag flying. I hope nothing bad happens because of that. I do believe however that everyone should be allowed to fly whatever flag they want on their own properties though. That's how I feel about the whole Confederate flag controversy. 

Third, I want to talk about Gay Marriage being made legal here in the US by the Supreme Court! I believe it is awesome that Gay Marriage is now legal. Also, I am proud to be an Episcopalian because a couple days ago, The Episcopalian church voted overwhelmingly to allow Gay Marriages to be preformed in our churches! ALL are welcome in the Episcopal church! Love is love and everyone deserves to be happy and love who they want and to celebrate their love with marriage. Just because you don't understand it doesn't mean it's bad. When I tell y'all the bible thumpers came out when this happened boy, they were saying all Gays were going to go to Hell and everyone who supported them was going to go to Hell also. When Lucy Hale posted her support of Gay Marriage people were going off in her Instagram comments and it was really sad to see. I felt bad for Lucy because she had to see that. She loves everyone and so does God. Gay people, straight people, we're all people who love other people be it the same sex or the opposite sex. Love is love and everyone should be able to celebrate their love! 

 Lastly, I wanted to talk about the incredible Women's World Cup finals the other night. Our ladies did us so proud and brought the cup back to the USA! Congrats ladies on a very well deserved championship. They have inspired other women and girls to go for their dreams and never give up. They are true good role models! We need good role models like the USWNT in our society and world because sexism is very real and it does exist whether people want to believe it or not. It's sad that sexism still exists. It's sad that us females are judged on how we looked and seen as sexual objects which we are not. We are not just here to birth babies, cook, and clean. This is not the 1950's and/or times before that anymore. This is the 21st century where we females can be who and what we want but we still face sexism and it's sad but the USWNT gives us hope and inspires to never give up on our dreams. You go Girls!!! They are a true example of Girl Power!!

So, those are my opinions on those topics. I wanted to try and end with positive topics. Remember, these are just my opinions. Everyone is allowed their opinions whether we agree with them or not. People need to learn how to state their opinions without being rude and offensive. 

~Peace and Love~