Just finished watching America's Next Top Model. I'm so proud of the ladies on that show who demonstrate different types of beauty. Sarah with her short cut hair and somewhat "manly" features. The plus sized model who was adamant about how much she loved her figure.

This is a reality show, and a flawed one at that. It still does adhere to a lot of the traditional notions of beauty, but I love seeing the ones that break the ice, and how supportive Tyra is of all these stereotype shattering beauties.

I have frizzy hair that never wants to lie flat, no boobs to speak of, ears that my doctor actually had the nerve to reccommend I pin back, and a nose that earned me many taunts throughout school. This year, I got a nose job. Contrary to my beliefs, my cute and smaller new nose didn't make me feel any more beautiful than my huge nose did. Instead, I felt weak for being unable to embrace what made me different and unique.

Girls, we are all beautiful. Beauty comes in so many shapes and sizes and colors and sexual orientations and ethnicities.. we are so much more than the skin we wear. It is HOW we wear our skin that makes us beautiful. The confidence that radiates from a smile of crooked teeth. The warmth contained in eyes that are "too small" or "oddly shaped". The heart that beats beneath our chests, not the size of the bra we wear over it.

I refuse to be objectified by any man. I refuse to allow the pictures in magazines of girls with porcelain features and size 2 figures take me down one bit. They are beautiful, yes, but I am beautiful and special. There shouldn't be degrees of beauty; each and every one of us is just as beautiful as the next.

Men, take note. The highest compliment you can pay a girl is loving her for WHO SHE IS instead of WHAT SHE LOOKS LIKE. No matter what you think, comparing us to other girls IS NOT ACCEPTABLE and it HURTS. I know that there's someone for everyone, but no girl should EVER feel like the love of her life would run off with the super model down the street if he had the chance. I, for one, demand this respect. All of us should.