The woman who is the most extreme is Anna Backman Rogers. Anna had a birthmark on her arm and decided to burn it because she hated it. Her description of the incident is “it’s a mark of not being able to accept what is” (Heti, Julvati, and Shapton 122). With her description, Anna reveals her regret. She realizes her mistake and is embarrassed about it because she usually lies about the scar to those who ask what it is from. Anna is a good example of a person physically harming themselves to feel better about how they look. No birthmark, beauty mark, or stretch mark is worth the harm to rid of it. There are certain physical attributes that are not under someone’s control, like hair color, and yet it is a common attribute to change, but why? The society people live in puts pressure on them to “fit in” and “be normal.” The truth is there is no normal. There are only unique physical and mental traits to each person in the world that makes up who they are. If one can understand this and accept their body for how it is, then they can be more self-accepting. They won’t have to be self-conscious while doing the usual things in life and can better enjoy living with less insecurities to worry about. This will lead to a much more contented …show more content…
The women in “Wear Areas” share their stories of burning birthmarks, not being accepted in their family, and changing themselves because of what others say. Through these women’s insecurities, people can recognize their own and start to realize the silliness in them. Self-doubts are only as bad as a person makes them. In the end, everyone has them and many people like to focus on them, creating anxiety, depression, and foolishness. The first step to prevent having the negative thoughts about insecurities is to recognize one’s insecurities. Sometimes, this is through first hearing what other people’s self-doubts are so they can relate to other human beings. The next step is to understand the reason why they have them. The reasons are usually what stops a person from accepting certain aspects of themselves. Reasons can include stories, generalizations, or comments people make. The next step is to realize the absurdity in the insecurities. Remember that everyone has insecurities and many people have similar or even the same ones. After realizing the absurdity in their own self-doubts, they need to gain confidence in themselves and fully accept themselves for who they are. Through these steps, one can be happier and more confident, leading to a more pleasurable