Reporter Laura Dennison explores why Alicia Keys’ approach to self-worth is particularly important for women today.

Alicia Keys
(Charles Sykes/Invision)

Another day, another celebrity taking to the internet to discuss the exhausted topic of women’s self-esteem issues. But the opinions expressed in Alicia Keys’ new blog post on her website are a bit different to the regurgitated stuff you usually read.

Alicia has kept herself fairly out of the spotlight while celebrities like Sinead O’Connor have been more than happy to publicly lambast some of the most powerful women in society today (Kim Kardashian and Miley Cyrus…) through “open letters”.

Our Facebook newsfeeds are consistently peppered with articles by Oxbridge grads telling us what feminism is and how we should be honouring it “tastefully”. In contrast, Alicia doesn’t even mention the word “feminism” at all.

She talks of how she shied away from any sort of attention by changing her clothes, hiding her intelligence, and keeping her opinions to herself. A reality that many women will be able to relate to.

Alicia Keys
(Anthony Harvey/PA)

“I started to notice a drastic difference in how men would relate to me if I had on jeans, or if I had on a skirt, or if my hair was done pretty. I could tell the difference, I could feel the animal instinct in them and it scared me.

“And so I started hiding. I chose the baggy jeans and timbs, I chose the ponytail and hat, I chose no make up, no bright colour lipstick or pretty dresses. I chose to hide. Pieces at a time. Less trouble that way.”

Now that Instagram and other social media sites have become so popular, it is no real surprise that a woman’s “following” has become the currency for which they value their worth. In turn altering how they portray their own “brand”, especially when it comes to sexuality.

Even when looking for jobs, a strong social media following can sometimes be considered above intelligence, kindness and experience. This is effectively becoming our new “CV”.

There remains a suggestion that women who post sexually suggestive photos do so for the attention of men, which unfortunately further reduces a woman’s “worth”.

Women online always get a raw deal when compared to men, whether that be the endless “leaking” of female celebrity nude pictures or (comparatively) the praise Justin Bieber received for his “stark naked on a boat selfie”.

Justin Bieber
Justin sporting a more ‘demure’ look (Charles Sykes/AP)

Alicia’s post notes the singer’s recent revelation:

“And just the other day it hit me! OMG! Alicia!!! Why are you choosing to be that person?? That is so old and outdated!! STOP!!

You are allowed to be smart
You are allowed to be beautiful
You are allowed to be radical and have strong thoughts that others might not agree with
You are allowed to be tough
You are allowed to be sexy
You are allowed to be bold
You are allowed to be shapely
You are allowed to be kind
You are allowed to be yourself!!

“And guess what!?? I can be all these things all at the same time. I don’t have to give up one to be the other. ”

This is important for young women to hear during our current digital climate if we are to continue fighting against sexism.

Female celebrities get a lot of flak for dressing provocatively (or really, how they wish to), but you only have to step back and observe their immense influence to realise that they’re clearly doing something right.

It’s important to hone your craft, define your own style, and be exactly who you want to be without jeopardising your mental health by changing how you look and act in a fruitless quest for “likes”.

If you take a selfie and think that you look absolutely ‘fire’, regardless of whether you have the approval of others, you damn well better upload that selfie.