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There are all these images, expectations and particular pressures that are made to make
us think this is what beauty is,
this is what a women is, or this is what a successful women is.
ON WEARING NO MAKE-UP
What happened with you and the decision you made not to wear make-up any more? I was aware of becoming overly concerned with other people’ s opinions of me. It got to the point where I’ d be freaked out leaving the house without make-up on. I was realising that there was so much that I had learned and that we all learn, especially as women and girls, from the second we are born. There are all these images, expectations and particular pressures that are made to make us think this is what beauty is, this is what a women is, or this is what a successful women is.
What do you think we as women can do to push against that? What can we be telling our daughters? I’ m one for variety. I just want myself and my daughter( if I had one) and my sons to see a variety of what people look like. We look a vast array of ways. It’ s not about make-up or no make-up, it’ s about what makes you comfortable and about also being able to explore different versions of what makes you comfortable. Even for myself, when I want to wear make-up that’ s my choice. I can totally wear make-up and no one should be able to say“ Didn’ t you say you were never going to wear make-up?” No, that’ s not what I have said.
ON THE US ELECTION
We’ ve gone through one of the most bitterly fought elections in America’ s history. You’ ve said in the past that you don’ t listen to what Donald Trump says and you said he doesn’ t care about women. He’ s the next President of the United
States. How do you feel about that? I’ m disappointed. I’ m disappointed that so much hateful, rhetoric, sexism, bigotry, racial slurring and intolerance would be rewarded with a presidency.
ON WHY GIRLS CAN’ T BE THEMSELVES
It’ s sad that girls can’ t be themselves. It’ s sad that through this whole election process in America, because Hilary was so strong and tough, how many unnecessary comments were said about her being a woman. We as women, can be any way we want! It is sad when you can’ t be yourself. That’ s the problem with girls all over the world. There’ s so much oppression towards women and there’ s so much unequal opportunity.
Alicia Keys 6th studio album‘ Here’ is out now.
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