For a long time, I used to say, “I’m the girl behind the camera, not in front of the camera.” For the most part, it was true. Before I worked in social media, I was a well trained and certified MAC makeup artist. I used the camera to check the client’s makeup to see how it reads on film, which was the end. After that, I put the camera down and walked away.
My earliest type of content was exploring street fashion and putting thought behind the image, and then I would start writing. Then, finally, I conveyed my message with models as the images, and I was done.
Then we saw the first wave of influencers on YouTube in the mid-2000s. The wave of the first generation of self-proclaimed makeup artists ignored technique and sometimes safety, demonstrating how to apply makeup. The influencers were comfortable in front of the camera, and it didn’t matter if they were using cosmetics in the wrong way. The first wave of influencers was highly visible, highly sought after by brands and successful.
So what made me cringe and never want to go down this path? I would have to go in front of the camera. There was absolutely no f*cking way I would put myself out there. Criticism was not what I needed when I started my social media career. I was a producer, not a creator. Period.
What I didn’t know at the time was I was actually stopping my business growth. That corporate mediocrity standard of “always be professional” kept me from being authentic in front of the camera. I can easily be authentic when writing but freeze while being in front of a camera.
Recently on Glennon Doyle’s podcast, We Can Do Hard Things when spoke with Bozoma Saint John regarding being visible. Bozoma explained how she showed up to a speaking engagement dressed beautifully but not like her male counterparts. She missed the uniform of button-down blue shirts with jeans. How dare she! Then Glennon made a remarkable observation.
Glennon Doyle stated that using the phrase “be professional” was a white male corporate phrase for conformity. Absolutely.
If I genuinely believe we need more women’s voices, particularly women of colour, we need to show up as we are. So with that said, I will be committing to more visibility. More on camera, more on social media. I wish the same for you.
Let me know what you think and DM me on my social media platforms:
See you around on social media!
