My letter

I put the a letter in the mail today, here it is as Times New Roman for those having a hard time seeing the handwritten version.

Dear Beyoncé,

Congratulations on the new baby and topping People’s list of the Most Beautiful Women in the World. Since your days in Destiny’s Child, I have admired you as a strong, smart and, dare I say, independent woman. Maybe that is why, even now, when I listen to you on the radio I understand your lyrics as ones representing contemporary feminism.

Because of your individuality I invite you to grow out your underarm hair for one performance. In my opinion, you are the only female celebrity whose participation would be understood by the media as a socially conscious action, not an accident. Letting your armpit hair grow will not damage your career but will draw attention to you as a strong role model.

I am sure you know that your fashion decisions set standards of how beauty is perceived around the world. I think that you should utilize this power to raise questions about the pressure placed on people to fit within societal norms. Performing publicly with armpit hair, even if it’s just once, will encourage people not only to think differently about the ideals of beauty, body image and the media but also about other pressures to conform socially. Your positive example will allow individuals to consider themselves as potential agents for change.

By growing out your armpit hair, I am not asking you to deny your femininity or your beauty. Underarm hair has nothing to do with beauty but is more about conforming to social norms of femininity. I am asking you to support people’s rights to decide and be active in choosing the structure of the society they live in.

Considering the general disinterest of young people in questioning the structure of society, celebrities are more powerful and have a stronger impact than Members of Congress or even the President. Celebrities should consider their capacity to affect the media and define their individuality by stepping away from conventional views of beauty and advocate for change.

This action will be a reminder that each person has the power to change how society perceives, among other things, beauty. The public media should be a reflection of the people, not the other way around.


With love,
Anamaya Farthing-Kohl


P.S. Enclosed is a flower from my tree, Terrance.