Going make-up free is still considered a radical act for women and I'm sad and tired
What is the equivalent for men? Is there one?
Credit: Pamela Anderson Instagram
Yesterday I asked a male friend while we had coffee: “Do you think it’s brave if a man leaves the house without his make-up on?” When he looked at me as if I had sprouted a second nose on my face, I continued: “Do you think George Clooney is a pioneer if he goes to a red carpet event without his face being done?”
He squinted against the bright and brittle October sunshine and cocked his head. “What the f**k are you talking about?”
“It’s never a thing for you guys, is it?” I replied. “You never have to think about this stuff, do you?” Of course he hasn’t. He has grown up in the same world as me - the one where t-shirts and toys tell you that girls want to be pretty, while boys want adventures. He has been taught from an early age to dream of freshly-dusted snow in Antarctica and touching the surface of the moon, while I’ve been taught to think about curling tongs and high heels that make it harder to run.
I stared at him, but he just shrugged and went back to sipping his long black. Soon enough, we went back to talking about house prices and holiday plans.
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