full transcript
From the Ted Talk by Winnie Harlow: How I define beauty
Unscramble the Blue Letters
I wtenad to start off by asking a question to everyone in the room, and you can take a mutine to think about this question. I wanted to ask what do you find most beautiful? And not in the wlord, like bireltufets and flowers, but in a person. What do you find the most attractive in a person? Is it eyes? Do you like pretty eyes? Blue eyes? Curly hair? Long nials? Big feet? Some poplee like big feet. What is it about people that we find attractive? I think that the way that we think of beauty comes from different things like: social mdeia, the inetnret, magazines, especially, if that's coming from a model. I feel like those are kind of what define beauty tdaoy. And personally to me, I feel that beauty is in everything. Some people may say that big feet are not cute, but there's going to be a pair of sehos that will look better on my size 9 feet than a size 6 foot. So, I find that there could be beauty in everything. For example, I love your dreads! They are amazing. Your gorgeous hair, Talia. Oh, my god! I wish I could get mine to be that big. Sir, with the shiny bold head, I think that this is amianzg. That sehen, perfect! As you can see, I find beauty in everything. And, of course: "I find beauty in everything" is super duper cliche. Like beauty in everything. I don't think everyone tkihns that there is beauty in everything, but the rseoan why I feel that there is beauty in everything is because when I was young, I was picked on for something that today I feel is amazing. One thing about me connects millions of people around the world. And that is something I think you can probably see, it's my skin condition, it's called vitiligo. And vitiligo is basically my immune system that feels that my melanin which is what makes color in your skin, thinks that my melanin is a disease, something similar to the common cold, so it fthigs it off, and that makes my skin turn white. I was singled out because of this skin coitodnin. I was bullied. I was alienated. Even by people who didn't mean to alienate me. For example: we would, like everyone does, take family pictures, and my mom would bring a little top of mkaeup, and it was her makeup. My mom is not the same skin coolr as me, she's much darekr than I am. So, could you inigmae me having a dark paste of face, and the rest of me as like brwon, white? I obviously didn't feel comfortable, but my mom was trying to make me feel comfortable. I was alienated. In soohcl, I changed school in about grade 3, gdare 2 and it's already hard to make friends when you change school especially at such a yunog age, but luckily I found two girls who were willing to play with me. They didn't really know who I was, but they wanted to play, they wanted to check me out and see if I was one of the cool kids. And after a few weeks of being in that school and having those friends, all of the sudden, I didn't have them. And I was kind of cefnsoud as to why I was struggling to make friends. I finally did and now, where did they go? They would avoid me at recess, they would aiovd me at lunch, and I finally went up to them one day and was like, "Guys, what's going on? Why aren't you talking to me anymore?" They said to me, "We can't talk to you anymore, sorry. Our pneatrs said that we might catch your skin condition." Can you imagine how that made me feel in grade 2, grade 3? That hurt. I was aienlated, I was embarrassed, to be honest. I didn't know what this skin condition was in grade 2 or grade 3. I wasn't asked if I wanted this skin condition. I didn't ask for it, yet I was alienated for it. But here's the thing, when I got a little bit oeldr, I didn't want to be in that position anymore, I didn't want to be bullied. So rather that taking myself out of the position, what did I do? I became the blluy. And it's not better on one side than the other. I can tell you, because I've been on both sides. I didn't want to be belulid anymore so I kind of took lead with those people who were bullying and I said, "Cool, those are going to be my frneids now because I don't want to be bullied, or on this side of the spectrum. So I guess the only side is to be on this side, this must be the good side." So I decided to go to that side. I would pick on kids. I would be like, "So ugly your hair!" "Ugh, who did that?" "Rude, right?" But I came to a reaiiloaztn that I was trying to put myself into a mold that I didn't fit. I mean, who's to say that I'm soeppsud to fit in a mold anyway? I can make my own. So, I decided that I was going to take myself away from this side and away from this side, and make my own side, and fit myself a new mold. And that mold is so cliche, but I feel that there is beauty in everything. So, I just want to put this idea in your head, that it takes one person to realize that there is beauty in everything. And you don't have to be on one side of the spectrum or the other side of the spectrum, or fit into someone's mold, your mom's mold, whoever's mold that you are trying to fit into. Be your own prseon. Know for yourself what beauty is rather than looking to a maaigzne or to even me for what beauty is. Know it in your heart, and make your own mold for what buetay is. (Applause)
Open Cloze
I ______ to start off by asking a question to everyone in the room, and you can take a ______ to think about this question. I wanted to ask what do you find most beautiful? And not in the _____, like ___________ and flowers, but in a person. What do you find the most attractive in a person? Is it eyes? Do you like pretty eyes? Blue eyes? Curly hair? Long _____? Big feet? Some ______ like big feet. What is it about people that we find attractive? I think that the way that we think of beauty comes from different things like: social _____, the ________, magazines, especially, if that's coming from a model. I feel like those are kind of what define beauty _____. And personally to me, I feel that beauty is in everything. Some people may say that big feet are not cute, but there's going to be a pair of _____ that will look better on my size 9 feet than a size 6 foot. So, I find that there could be beauty in everything. For example, I love your dreads! They are amazing. Your gorgeous hair, Talia. Oh, my god! I wish I could get mine to be that big. Sir, with the shiny bold head, I think that this is _______. That _____, perfect! As you can see, I find beauty in everything. And, of course: "I find beauty in everything" is super duper cliche. Like beauty in everything. I don't think everyone ______ that there is beauty in everything, but the ______ why I feel that there is beauty in everything is because when I was young, I was picked on for something that today I feel is amazing. One thing about me connects millions of people around the world. And that is something I think you can probably see, it's my skin condition, it's called vitiligo. And vitiligo is basically my immune system that feels that my melanin which is what makes color in your skin, thinks that my melanin is a disease, something similar to the common cold, so it ______ it off, and that makes my skin turn white. I was singled out because of this skin _________. I was bullied. I was alienated. Even by people who didn't mean to alienate me. For example: we would, like everyone does, take family pictures, and my mom would bring a little top of ______, and it was her makeup. My mom is not the same skin _____ as me, she's much ______ than I am. So, could you _______ me having a dark paste of face, and the rest of me as like _____, white? I obviously didn't feel comfortable, but my mom was trying to make me feel comfortable. I was alienated. In ______, I changed school in about grade 3, _____ 2 and it's already hard to make friends when you change school especially at such a _____ age, but luckily I found two girls who were willing to play with me. They didn't really know who I was, but they wanted to play, they wanted to check me out and see if I was one of the cool kids. And after a few weeks of being in that school and having those friends, all of the sudden, I didn't have them. And I was kind of ________ as to why I was struggling to make friends. I finally did and now, where did they go? They would avoid me at recess, they would _____ me at lunch, and I finally went up to them one day and was like, "Guys, what's going on? Why aren't you talking to me anymore?" They said to me, "We can't talk to you anymore, sorry. Our _______ said that we might catch your skin condition." Can you imagine how that made me feel in grade 2, grade 3? That hurt. I was _________, I was embarrassed, to be honest. I didn't know what this skin condition was in grade 2 or grade 3. I wasn't asked if I wanted this skin condition. I didn't ask for it, yet I was alienated for it. But here's the thing, when I got a little bit _____, I didn't want to be in that position anymore, I didn't want to be bullied. So rather that taking myself out of the position, what did I do? I became the _____. And it's not better on one side than the other. I can tell you, because I've been on both sides. I didn't want to be _______ anymore so I kind of took lead with those people who were bullying and I said, "Cool, those are going to be my _______ now because I don't want to be bullied, or on this side of the spectrum. So I guess the only side is to be on this side, this must be the good side." So I decided to go to that side. I would pick on kids. I would be like, "So ugly your hair!" "Ugh, who did that?" "Rude, right?" But I came to a ___________ that I was trying to put myself into a mold that I didn't fit. I mean, who's to say that I'm ________ to fit in a mold anyway? I can make my own. So, I decided that I was going to take myself away from this side and away from this side, and make my own side, and fit myself a new mold. And that mold is so cliche, but I feel that there is beauty in everything. So, I just want to put this idea in your head, that it takes one person to realize that there is beauty in everything. And you don't have to be on one side of the spectrum or the other side of the spectrum, or fit into someone's mold, your mom's mold, whoever's mold that you are trying to fit into. Be your own ______. Know for yourself what beauty is rather than looking to a ________ or to even me for what beauty is. Know it in your heart, and make your own mold for what ______ is. (Applause)
Solution
- makeup
- friends
- people
- nails
- young
- shoes
- thinks
- confused
- butterflies
- color
- internet
- parents
- realization
- darker
- reason
- grade
- avoid
- supposed
- wanted
- sheen
- media
- minute
- condition
- world
- alienated
- today
- bullied
- beauty
- brown
- school
- bully
- fights
- amazing
- older
- person
- imagine
- magazine
Original Text
I wanted to start off by asking a question to everyone in the room, and you can take a minute to think about this question. I wanted to ask what do you find most beautiful? And not in the world, like butterflies and flowers, but in a person. What do you find the most attractive in a person? Is it eyes? Do you like pretty eyes? Blue eyes? Curly hair? Long nails? Big feet? Some people like big feet. What is it about people that we find attractive? I think that the way that we think of beauty comes from different things like: social media, the Internet, magazines, especially, if that's coming from a model. I feel like those are kind of what define beauty today. And personally to me, I feel that beauty is in everything. Some people may say that big feet are not cute, but there's going to be a pair of shoes that will look better on my size 9 feet than a size 6 foot. So, I find that there could be beauty in everything. For example, I love your dreads! They are amazing. Your gorgeous hair, Talia. Oh, my god! I wish I could get mine to be that big. Sir, with the shiny bold head, I think that this is amazing. That sheen, perfect! As you can see, I find beauty in everything. And, of course: "I find beauty in everything" is super duper cliche. Like beauty in everything. I don't think everyone thinks that there is beauty in everything, but the reason why I feel that there is beauty in everything is because when I was young, I was picked on for something that today I feel is amazing. One thing about me connects millions of people around the world. And that is something I think you can probably see, it's my skin condition, it's called vitiligo. And vitiligo is basically my immune system that feels that my melanin which is what makes color in your skin, thinks that my melanin is a disease, something similar to the common cold, so it fights it off, and that makes my skin turn white. I was singled out because of this skin condition. I was bullied. I was alienated. Even by people who didn't mean to alienate me. For example: we would, like everyone does, take family pictures, and my mom would bring a little top of makeup, and it was her makeup. My mom is not the same skin color as me, she's much darker than I am. So, could you imagine me having a dark paste of face, and the rest of me as like brown, white? I obviously didn't feel comfortable, but my mom was trying to make me feel comfortable. I was alienated. In school, I changed school in about grade 3, grade 2 and it's already hard to make friends when you change school especially at such a young age, but luckily I found two girls who were willing to play with me. They didn't really know who I was, but they wanted to play, they wanted to check me out and see if I was one of the cool kids. And after a few weeks of being in that school and having those friends, all of the sudden, I didn't have them. And I was kind of confused as to why I was struggling to make friends. I finally did and now, where did they go? They would avoid me at recess, they would avoid me at lunch, and I finally went up to them one day and was like, "Guys, what's going on? Why aren't you talking to me anymore?" They said to me, "We can't talk to you anymore, sorry. Our parents said that we might catch your skin condition." Can you imagine how that made me feel in grade 2, grade 3? That hurt. I was alienated, I was embarrassed, to be honest. I didn't know what this skin condition was in grade 2 or grade 3. I wasn't asked if I wanted this skin condition. I didn't ask for it, yet I was alienated for it. But here's the thing, when I got a little bit older, I didn't want to be in that position anymore, I didn't want to be bullied. So rather that taking myself out of the position, what did I do? I became the bully. And it's not better on one side than the other. I can tell you, because I've been on both sides. I didn't want to be bullied anymore so I kind of took lead with those people who were bullying and I said, "Cool, those are going to be my friends now because I don't want to be bullied, or on this side of the spectrum. So I guess the only side is to be on this side, this must be the good side." So I decided to go to that side. I would pick on kids. I would be like, "So ugly your hair!" "Ugh, who did that?" "Rude, right?" But I came to a realization that I was trying to put myself into a mold that I didn't fit. I mean, who's to say that I'm supposed to fit in a mold anyway? I can make my own. So, I decided that I was going to take myself away from this side and away from this side, and make my own side, and fit myself a new mold. And that mold is so cliche, but I feel that there is beauty in everything. So, I just want to put this idea in your head, that it takes one person to realize that there is beauty in everything. And you don't have to be on one side of the spectrum or the other side of the spectrum, or fit into someone's mold, your mom's mold, whoever's mold that you are trying to fit into. Be your own person. Know for yourself what beauty is rather than looking to a magazine or to even me for what beauty is. Know it in your heart, and make your own mold for what beauty is. (Applause)
Frequently Occurring Word Combinations
ngrams of length 2
collocation |
frequency |
skin condition |
3 |
big feet |
2 |
find beauty |
2 |
Important Words
- age
- alienate
- alienated
- amazing
- anymore
- applause
- asked
- attractive
- avoid
- basically
- beautiful
- beauty
- big
- bit
- blue
- bold
- bring
- brown
- bullied
- bully
- bullying
- butterflies
- called
- catch
- change
- changed
- check
- cliche
- cold
- color
- comfortable
- coming
- common
- condition
- confused
- connects
- cool
- curly
- cute
- dark
- darker
- day
- decided
- define
- disease
- duper
- embarrassed
- eyes
- face
- family
- feel
- feels
- feet
- fights
- finally
- find
- fit
- flowers
- foot
- friends
- girls
- good
- gorgeous
- grade
- guess
- hair
- hard
- head
- heart
- honest
- hurt
- idea
- imagine
- immune
- internet
- kids
- kind
- lead
- long
- love
- luckily
- lunch
- magazine
- magazines
- makeup
- media
- melanin
- millions
- minute
- model
- mold
- mom
- nails
- older
- pair
- parents
- paste
- people
- person
- personally
- pick
- picked
- pictures
- play
- position
- pretty
- put
- question
- realization
- realize
- reason
- recess
- rest
- room
- school
- sheen
- shiny
- shoes
- side
- sides
- similar
- singled
- sir
- size
- skin
- social
- spectrum
- start
- struggling
- sudden
- super
- supposed
- system
- takes
- talia
- talk
- talking
- thinks
- today
- top
- turn
- ugly
- vitiligo
- wanted
- weeks
- white
- world
- young