Ryan Haley
What does it mean to be beautiful?
“I always did what I was taught or what society teaches us: sit down, be quiet, behave, be "ladies", don't speak up, don't say how you feel or what you think. But as I get older, I realize you have to disregard all that or else you suppress yourself.
To me, being beautiful means just being yourself. I'm the most beautiful when I can be myself, express myself, be my true self with someone, wherever, whenever.”
What would you tell your 20-year-old self about what it means to be beautiful?
What things influenced your idea of beauty?
“I come from a big Irish Catholic family that had no boundaries. There was a lot of judgement, and I never felt like me. I always felt suppressed. As I got older, I realized I have to do what is right for me. I still have my moments of self doubt, but if I hold back, I end up regretting it.”
When self-doubt creeps in, what do you do?