Lifestyle

Reddit Tried To Shame A Model With Cancer And People Were Not Having It

by Emily Arata

For those of you who don't troll the depths of the internet on a daily basis, it may come as a surprise to learn that a very distinct subsection of men believe women wearing makeup is offensive. Hair extensions, false lashes — all these are crimes punishable by insult from a vocal male minority.

They don't understand what subtle makeup looks like (they think female celebs just wake up like that), and can't comprehend beauty as a hobby instead of a necessity. Spoiler alert: Makeup is art, it just happens to be painted on your face.

The perfect example of this dynamic: a teenage model named Andrea Salazar, 17, who's battling cancer.

Gerardo Garmendia

During a recent photo shoot, she felt brave enough to remove her wig and pose in full ballgown regalia. Salazar told press she'd taken the extra step to feel beautiful even without her wig, adding that she'd partially shot the images for the children in her cancer ward.

A well-meaning Redditor posted the Salazar's viral story to /r/UpliftingNews, clearly expecting a positive response. Instead, the forum filled with comments (now largely deleted) bashing the cancer patient for wearing too much makeup or daring to look pretty even during her illness.

Reddit

By focusing on the superficial aspects of the shoot, the respondents missed the point: The shoot wasn't about a beautiful young woman being vain. It was about a professional model reclaiming her passion amid the biggest battle of her life.

If she'd been a runner who finished a marathon while fighting cancer, the point would have been the same. Cancer doesn't define you, you do.

Gerardo Garmendia

Thankfully, several vocal commentators shut down the makeup-shamers with the very same argument. Salazar didn't share her shoot for vanity, but because she'd reclaimed a key aspect of her identity.

Reddit
Reddit

When you're undergoing chemotherapy and can barely stand up without wanting to vomit, completing a photoshoot is a big deal — especially one done without any hair.

Reddit
Reddit

The story even jumped sub-reddits to /r/MakeupAddiction, where beauty lovers defended Salazar's desire to feel pretty. What it comes down to, they wrote, is pure ignorance. A woman without any makeup isn't somehow morally superior to one with three coats of foundation on her face.

Salazar took a bold step with her photos, one that's likely inspired dozens of other cancer patients to try and hold on to their own passions. That, my friends, is an admirable cause.