Essay On Frida Kahlo

Frida Kahlo once said, “To trap one’s self suffering is to risk being devoured from the inside.” Race and gender have been and still are a huge deal for all people. Many people have issues with the mixtures of races there is all over the world, but there are only so many of us that are actually affected by it. There will always be injustice between gender roles and also discrimination against colored people. Before women began to fight for their rights, many women were not allowed to express themselves. They were mistreated and disrespected by their husbands and men around them. They believed they deserved a voice and that they were capable of making their own decisions. As women began to rebel many men felt threatened and thought that all
women who rebelled against the perfect wife image were feminist. Although people still struggle to accept different genders and races, Frida Kahlo’s rebelliousness and suffrage motivated me to accept myself for who I am and to not hold back when it comes to expressing myself.
Frida Kahlo was a very passionate Mexican self portrait artist who believed in the impossible for women in the early 20th century. She was often seen as a feminist and a rebel during her time because of the way she expressed herself in public. Not only was she known for her fascinating artwork but was also known as the wife of the famous muralist Diego Rivera. In a way Frida Kahlo was destined to suffer. According to the book, Frida Kahlo: The Brush of Anguish, Martha Zamora states that, at the age of six Kahlo was diagnosed with polio and her father was the only one who got her through that (18). As Kahlo got older she had the life she had always wanted up until September 1925. Kahlo was on her way home when the bus she was on got into a huge accident. The accident impacted her whole life which caused her to suffer some serious injuries. Some of the wounds included “fracture of the third and fourth lumbar vertebrae; pelvic fractures; fracture of the right foot; dislocation of the left elbow; deep abdominal wound produced by a metal rod entering through the left hip and exiting
through the genitals” (Zamora 26). It has been said that throughout her whole life Kahlo underwent perhaps more than 40 surgeries. She was often called a feminist because of her detailed artwork and the way she expressed herself in public. During the 20th century many people were not used to seeing a woman acting and dressing like a man. Frida Kahlo’s fashion and unibrow were often viewed as feminist and rebellious acts. Besides dressing like a man she was often seen smoking, drinking, and using profanity. In some cases, different types of gender behaviors “are labeled as inappropriate” (Devor 506). Frida Kahlo was the type of person who fought for what she believed in and never cared what others would think of her. For example, her artwork portrayed her pain and many were surprised because many women did not have the courage and the privilege to do so. Although she went through a lot of suffering she used her art as a way to express her pain and feelings to reach out to other women who might be suffering as well. Kahlo was an inspiration for all women and she often showed them that no matter your gender or race, we are all human beings who deserve a voice in this world. Kahlo did not only impact many women, but also impacted me. Frida Kahlo fought for what she believed in and never doubted herself or her actions. During the 20th century, many women were discriminated and were not given many privileges as men were and Kahlo was the one who showed people otherwise. As I learned about Frida Kahlo’s life I was inspired by how courageous she was to continue living her normal life no matter the circumstances. Frida Kahlo has taught me to live life to the fullest and enjoy every day that goes by because we only have one opportunity to do so. Kahlo’s feminism, suffrage, and rebelliousness inspired me to be brave no matter the obstacles I face in life. Not everything will be easy to accomplish but if I believe in myself anything is possible For example, my race often caused many people to think less of me, but I used those words as a motivation to keep moving forward and actually make it somewhere. I was able to graduate high school with the privilege of being in the honor roll. Learning that Kahlo was a rebel especially during the time she lived in inspired me to not care about what others say about me because there will be a day when I no longer have the chance. If I let people’s words get to me, I will never get the chance to truly find the real me. Frida Kahlo’s quote “To trap one’s self suffering is to risk being devoured from the inside,” makes me realize that if I hide my emotions, they will soon begin to build up and I will soon regret it. Kahlo taught me that no matter what I should always express myself while I still can. Today certain gender and races have a huge risk expressing themselves because of the injustice there is. Stereotypes become a huge part of the injustice and criticism towards women and men from different cultures. In the article In Living Color: Race and American Culture, Omi states “Latinos are portrayed as being prone toward violent outburst of anger; blacks are physically strong, but dim- witted; while Asians are seen as sneaky and cunningly evil”(544). This statement is the reality of what many believe which is just unfair because no stereotype should hold someone back from expressing themselves. Kahlo has motivated me to accept myself as a person and be proud of where I come from. Many might not like the idea of minorities embracing where they come from, but honestly who cares? To me race and gender are the least of our problems so why can we all just get along? Is expressing ourselves really that bad? It’s not right for people to limit our right of freedom of speech just because we are considered minorities. Frida Kahlo is and will continue to be and inspiration to me. She will always be the one who inspired me to fight for my dreams and the one who inspired me to make the impossible possible. Gender and race have a huge impact on all people, some more than others, but we shouldn’t let that hold us back from fighting for what is right. Frida Kahlo’s rebelliousness and suffering has been a huge impact on me. Kahlo stated, “I hope the exit is joyful and I hope to never come back… Live life.” Even in her last moments she had the strength to send out a message to the world and leave everyone with something to remember. We must all learn and try to live our lives just like Frida Kahlo has done, whether if it’s in our best or worst moments. We should not let ourselves be mistreated by people who feel the need to do whatever they want just because they are a certain race. Fighting for what I believe in has been one of the best choices I have done. I do not want to leave knowing I could have done better and knowing that I did not say enough.