“Always apologize when you’ve done something wrong, but don’t you ever apologize for the way your eyes refuse to stop shining. Your voice is small, but don’t ever stop singing. And when they finally hand you heartache, when they slip war and hatred under your door and offer you handouts on street-corners of cynicism and defeat, you tell them that they really ought to meet your mother.” –Sarah Key

This is a spoken word poem, written and performed by Sarah Key, titled “If I should have a daughter.” If you’ve never heard spoken word before, it’s a pretty amazing experience, encompassing the best parts of acting and the art of poetry. These inspiring words began Elizabeth Piper’s empowering address to the student body of NDP on behalf of the PrettyGirl Revolution.

The goal of the PrettyGirl Revolution is to redefine society’s definition of beauty, and more specifically, the word pretty.  One of the company’s starting goals was to remind girls that all beauty doesn’t have to be abandoned to be considered a feminist.  Their definition redefines a pretty girl as “a girl who walks with poise and confidence, celebrating her authenticity. Rather than hiding her imperfections, she embraces them and refuses to apologize.  A prettygirl values her body but knows her worth lies far beyond her physical attributes.  She is competent in her work, ambitious in her goals, and resilient in her spirit.  She believes she is pretty, both inside and out, and declares it confidently because self-love is the greatest love a girl can have.”

The uproar of praise from NDP was apparent in the encouraging words and bright smiles throughout the day.  While feminism has always been a very strong sentiment among NDP students, this presentation provided a new spin on a topic we all feel strongly about. Ms. Piper especially pointed out the idea that you don’t have to feel like dressing well or enjoying makeup to be looked down upon if you call yourself a feminist.  There are beauty and good in these things, but there is also more.  We need to redefine what it means to be pretty, appreciating physical beauty and using it for good, while appreciating people for what’s inside first.

Kindness, strength, confidence, compassion, intelligence… These are definitions of beauty and what it really means to be a prettygirl. #RedefinePretty.