Wednesday, January 11, 2017

Unfollowed.

I have never been the type of person that ever just wanted to be a pretty face with thousands of adoring fans telling me how perfect I am. I have always had really strong opinions and a giant mouth. I have always been unapologetic for taking a stance for the underdog and for my people. I have always been strongly outspoken on womens rights, LGBTQ rights, civil rights, environmental issues, health care, etc. This isn't new.

I know we all saw the Meryl Streep speech the other night. What I find so interesting is the backlash. I feel the same backlash on a much smaller scale-- but it still blows my mind. Why, just because someone is an artist, are they not entitled to opinions? Does being a public figure all of a sudden nullify any rights you have to being a human and having human emotions and thoughts? Is your doctor allowed to think and speak freely? How about your mechanic? How about a banker? Lawyer? Nail tech? Hair stylist? Can your neighbor express their thoughts as they see fit? I hope your answer to all of these is yes because we are all humans living in the free world.

Celebrities and artists have a bigger reach, yes. And they also have more influence, totally. And with that comes a great responsibility. But in my opinion the responsibility isn't to censor ourselves-- the responsibility is to speak out on the things that matter to us. If I make a post saying I will miss Obama and 500 Trump loving, gun toting, flag waving Republicans unfollow me... cool. If I make a post about gay rights and 1 person who thought being gay was wrong goes "wait! I really like Cherry and what she believes in, maybe I should take a second to rethink"... that one moment is worth those 500 lost "fans." I AM NOT YOUR PUPPET. I am not here to dance for you as you see fit.

I want to get one major point clear here-- I DO NOT DO WHAT I DO TO COLLECT FANS AND TO BE TOLD HOW GREAT I AM ALL OF THE TIME. Is it nice to hear nice things, of course!! Does it make my spirit soar when I get to hug a girl and she tells me my videos changed her life? YES! Am I going to cry myself to sleep because some girl that posts 1000 videos of contouring and looking "perfect" has about 15 times the following that I do? Nope. We all do what we do for our own reasons. I happen to want to share my passions-- which include both superficial and non-superficial topics.

Another point I feel strongly about-- my page is not your playground for "free speech." My pages are my online living room. If you walked into my living room and started attacking me and calling me names, I would gladly tell you to get out of my house. I have that same right online in my own space, just as you have that same right on yours. But just because my space is public, doesn't mean it isn't still mine.

I love when people leave comments to try to bait me and call me a whiny liberal baby and say I will probably delete their post because I can't handle an opposing opinion. And then I hit delete and laugh. I am all for differing opinions. It makes this world interesting and colorful. And I am all for well informed, educated arguments presented without attacking or name calling. I rarely delete comments from my page. But you better believe when some ignorant man calls me "a retarded bitch" for being sad that the Obamas are leaving office, he gets deleted and blocked. I don't encourage that behavior and will not dignify trolls like that with a second of my attention.

Lastly, if you find what I post SO offensive and distasteful that you cannot bear ONE more second of following me without perhaps dying... Feel free to just hit the unfollow button. Making a big dramatic announcement that you are unfollowing me will only be met with an eye roll and will only make you look silly. Exit with grace. Move on if you must.

All of that being said, I welcome anyone to follow me that likes the things that I post and is willing to skip past the things that they don't. I welcome open minded, free thinkers. I welcome anyone interested in engaging in respectful, adult conversations. If you want to see a pretty face with a vacant space between the ears and in their heart, I am not your girl. And that is ok.

I am a different flavor.

24 comments:

  1. I agree completly I just started following you today and loved your makeup video. I also feel the same things in my every day life just being a mom and wife that works full time and is trying to get managment. Everyone is going to try to put you down and you know what that's ok because when you reach your goal you will shine even brighter and ruin that dark light of a person that was putting you down. Hang on for the ride and let your light shine bright!

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  2. I know you didn't post this for "yay, you", but yay, you. :-) I hope I get the chance to give you one of those "thanks" hugs someday. -Natalie Garcia, Utah

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  3. I like the living room analogy, well put. Sucks that we actually have to have a term for Internet jerks now.

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  4. Well put! So many trolls. Even if they love The Cherry Dollface for all the reasons we do, no reason for hate, baiting, and dramatics. In the end, rude people are trolls that feel confident to be horrible online in ways they wouldn't in person, especially your livingroom.

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  5. You are a beautiful person as well as an artist... keep following your path... those that have exited or made untruth comments or being plain disrespectful are in no means worth it... these people are jealous that you are beautiful successful and famous in your own right...
    I myself love and admire among so many other followers of who you are as an artist and a person ...
    Thank you for your inspiration that you have brought to so many of us...
    God bless you Cherry ...
    ��������❤️��

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  6. I Looove U to dance to the tune you like that's the only way to look good will you do it and still make sense ����❤

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  7. And this is why you're beautiful, not because your hair and make-up skills, but because you're human, you use your brain, you have an opinion and you speak up. Even if I only see you through Youtube, I think you are a great person. I really liked this post!

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  8. You're such an awesome person, and I'm more sure of that the more I read your blogs. It's good to hear that you'll always speak what you think- the world's better for it!

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  9. You said it all, my standing ovation @Cherry. Amazing post!

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  10. Nicely put Cherry. I like the living room analogy too.

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  12. I can not believe that someone would call you names and on your page?! Smh. You have every right to think the way you do and live the way you do. I just can't understand the life of me why people have to interfere on others and push their lives and views on others. Live and let live. There are plenty of people I know who I don't agree with; whether they're a fan of Trump or Obama, but I'm not going to bash and attack them because they like one or the other. Unless you're hurting someone, it isn't a crime to live how you want to live. End of story. Stay fabulous girl!

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  13. You do you, Cherry! There's no sense in name calling, I really don't comprehend why anyone would call you retarded for having your own political beliefs. It doesn't accomplish anything. I can't wrap my head around people who are nasty online. I get upset very easily so I don't share my views on Instagram for fear of backlash. I can't handle when people are mean to me online even if I know they're the ones who are being silly and wrong! It seems people can't control themselves when it comes to what's going on in politics in America. I've seen SO many Trump supporters being out and out HORRIBLE to people online, from complete strangers to celebrities. It only proves their small mindedness. We're supposed to be the UNITED States...I feel we're more divided than we've been in a long time. Trump validates the homophobic citizens, the racist citizens, those who didn't have a voice before because um, being those things are wrong. Now that we have a President-Elect who essentially represents being these things, aggressive, forceful, angry, loud and devoid of regard for others' feelings, people who felt they "didn't have a voice" before, now have an excuse and say it's freedom of speech. I will say it because I feel your blog is a safe space: I'm despairing for our country. If anyone reads this, please give me some hope! I wish we could have Obama for another term. I'm very afraid of a Trump presidency.

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  14. I agree and am so glad you have your own thoughts and feelings and said this so eloquently!!

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  15. I have no problem respecting someone with different views. This is your page and you are free to do as you please. But please before you state what you believe to be true and act like it's fact, please do research outside of the biased propaganda news that we are fed. Once you have researched things outside of that bubble you may find that things that you once thought were 100% true ere just what you were fed to get you to believe something.

    This is not new, but it is new to us in this day and age.

    It's very hard to get past the propaganda becasue we are fed it every day and that makes the message appear to be valid. But just remember most political news is actually propaganda designed to get you to believe in the positive of the party you support or in the negative of the party you don't. So that means don't trust what you are fed, research it to find the truth.

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  16. Well said. I saw what was being said, the incredibly rude comments and insults for such an innocuous comment/opinion. It was not propaganda or fake news, you just stated how you felt and were attacked, not respectfully disagreed with (although some did do that and I applaud those few...or one). Keep up the good work, keep the faith and keep up the fight sister.

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Thank you so much for stopping by! Please be nice and kind with your words even if you have something to criticize. I am trying to answer to as many questions as possible but please have some understanding that I cannot answer to all of you. XOXO