No Make Up Selfie – I’m out of the loop

A complete aside from the travel stuff: I went on Facebook properly today for the first time in a week or so and was taken aback by 90% of my Newsfeed being the same thing, a #nomakeupselfie, a term I hadn’t even known existed a few days ago. My friend I am staying with in Medellin went to bed early cos she has work tomorrow, so I have commandeered a computer and will do a one-draft article and if people get mad then I’m 5 timezones away so they can’t get me. I am out of the loop and probably minorly late to this debate but I have two brief thoughts:

1) This is the most all-encompassing unanimous newsfeed takeover I have ever seen, which is really impressive, although so far seems localised to the UK (and those of you who know me know that I do have my fair share of “international” “friends” on Facebook).

2) The point of this, I gather, is to raise money for Cancer Research UK – three quid donation for each pic – which I can only support. However, as with all “sponsorship” type campaigns, the basic premise is that the deed done to raise money is in some way negative, hence the inclination for people to sponsor (e.g. guys looking terrible in a moustache for Movember, or someone who hates exercise running a half marathon) – in this case, girls in effect sponsoring themselves to take a #nomakeupselfie. My conflicting thoughts were summarised quite nicely by a curious but simple status written by an old school mate of mine:

“It seems to me that this “no make up selfie” thing implies that it is somehow difficult or painful for women to allow themselves to be seen without any. I’m not sure what this means or what I think about it.”

Another friend of ours commented:

“Sadly i think it is for a lot of women, making the campaign doubly empowering which I think is the secret to its success.”

Without wading into the overall morality of the situation, my personal worry is that overall it runs the risk of reinforcing the negativity with which not wearing makeup is perceived. Most debate statuses (debatuses – copyright JoeyLe 2014) I have seen have included several comments from males saying (compassionately, I should add) that they prefer women without makeup – but this really does miss the point as it assumes that women only do or do not wear makeup for the benefit of male preference, which from most of the female comments on debatuses (and conversations I have had in the past with most of my female friends) seems generally incorrect.

I am happy for all those girls who feel in some way liberated, refreshed or empowered to be able to post their #nomakeupselfie. I just personally hope that this doesn’t reinforce the notion that not wearing makeup is negative (through the assumptions of negative actions which prompt sponsored campaigns as I have already mentioned) which could lead to an exacerbation of the aesthetically-oriented society which we already have. It’s not like you see guys wandering around with moustaches after November (Dalston excluded) but hey, maybe you girls could make this stick (if you want, for you).

However, as with all viral charity campaigns, the ultimate benefit of raising money for charity should surely outweigh any aesthetically charged moral debate. Enjoy my #nomakeupselfie, and yes I have donated (although slightly scared about how much I have also inadvertently donated to Vodafone with an international txt, too).