Jen's Journal

Ever since the first official lockdown happened everywhere I’ve been listening to people talk about how they want things to go back to normal. I’ve heard others say nothing will go back to normal after this. I think that’s why the posts to normalize things began. There’s a lot wrong with this country, and to normalize things that weren’t normal before, we have to talk about the things that need to become normal. So in honor of that, I made a list of things that need to be normal from here on out. 

• Normalize everyone wearing makeup, not just women. If you’re interested in the history of makeup here’s an interesting article: https://women-s.net/the-history-of-makeup-origin/
• Normalize respecting teachers and paying them what they deserve
• Normalize teaching EVERYONE about consent and how to respect others.
• Normalize expressing feelings in healthy ways. Note: not just men express things in violent ways.
• Normalize the reality of relationships, not fantasy.
• Normalize wearing a damn mask! Had to say it. 
• Normalize forgiving people for things they said over ten years ago. 
• Normalize voting. It’s time we decide who our leaders are. 
• Normalize flaws like dark circles, stretch marks, acne/acne scars, other scars, frizzy or unkempt hair. We all have them, its time to start celebrating them instead of being ashamed for them. 
• Normalize getting to know someone before getting into a relationship with them. 
• Respectfully normalize cultural appropriation. Think about how boring our lives would be if we all stuck to our own culture only?
• Normalize listening to both sides before jumping to conclusions based entirely on the bias. 
• Normalize having controversial intelligent opinions; arguing is fun but you have to defend your side if you’re going to be controversial.

If I missed anything on this list comment below! This was fun to write.