Pamela

“Así estamos, cada uno en su orilla, sin odiarnos, sin amarnos, ajenos.”
― Mario Benedetti, La tregua

“Yo sí sé lo que significa el no pronunciar las palabras que me devolverían la vida. Las tengo ensayadas, desesperantemente ensayadas. En el momento en que me decidiera surgirían fluidas y rotundas. Inapelables. Son redondas, pulidas. La frase completa es como una joya. La tengo, es mía. La veo brillar en medio del silencio. Con sólo pronunciarla todo me sería devuelto. Pero allí permanece, al borde de mis labios, como al borde de un río crecido, imposible de cruzar.

¿Sabes lo que es quedarse a la orilla de uno mismo, contemplándose?”
― Josefina Vicens, The False Years

“I’m fifteen and I feel like girl my age are under a lot of pressure that boys are not under. I know I am smart, I know I am kind and funny, and I know that everyone around me keeps telling me that I can be whatever I want to be. I know all this but I just don’t feel that way. I always feel like if I don’t look a certain way, if boys don’t think I’m ‘sexy’ or ‘hot’ then I’ve failed and it doesn’t even matter if I am a doctor or writer, I’ll still feel like nothing. I hate that I feel like that because it makes me seem shallow, but I know all of my friends feel like that, and even my little sister. I feel like successful women are only considered a success if they are successful AND hot, and I worry constantly that I won’t be. What if my boobs don’t grow, what if I don’t have the perfect body, what if my hips don’t widen and give me a little waist, if none of that happens I feel like what’s the point of doing anything because I’ll just be the ‘fat ugly girl’ regardless of whether I do become a doctor or not.
I wish people would think about what pressure they are putting on everyone, not just teenage girls, but even older people – I watch my mum tear herself apart every day because her boobs are sagging and her skin is wrinkling, she feels like she is ugly even though she is amazing, but then I feel like I can’t judge because I do the same to myself. I wish the people who had real power and control the images and messages we get fed all day actually thought about what they did for once.
I know the girls on page 3 are probably starving themselves. I know the girls in adverts are airbrushed. I know beauty is on the inside. But I still feel like I’m not good enough.”
― Laura Bates, Everyday Sexism

“A veces me siento desdichada, nada más que de no saber qué es lo que estoy echando de menos.”
― Mario Benedetti, La tregua