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| You Who?
Can anybody see the REAL you? |
People generally consider Halloween as the one time of year when we can all put on a mask and pretend to be someone we're not, but if you think about it, there's a whole lot of masquerading going on year-round.
Some girls prefer to use the Nice Girl mask so that everyone will like them, and others use the Quiet Girl disguise so as not to create waves or bring unwanted attention to themselves. Another popular persona is the Rebel Girl, which helps girls think they have total control over their lives, and still others like to be the Funny Girl so that they can make people laugh instead of talking about what might be hurting them inside.
For these girls, every day is Halloween.
When we think about why people use masks, there are a lot of good reasons. There are lighthearted events such as holidays and parties when costumes are worn for fun. Actors use masks to tell stories, and artists use masks for expression and decoration.
But doctors, firefighters and hockey players wear masks, too – for protection. A doctor wears a mask to protect the patient, and a scuba diver wears a mask to keep breathing. So, on the one hand, masks are used for entertainment, but on the other, they are used for protection and self-preservation.
If asked, a Nice Girl, a Quiet Girl, a Rebel, or a Funny Girl would probably not say that they masquerade for fun. They do it to feel safe. But from what?
A lot of girls use masks because of the remarkable protection they provide in the emotion department. Not only does a mask hide a girl's true feelings (which may be unpopular, surprising or contrary to others), but it protects the feelings of others from getting hurt, too. Masks provide safety from rejection and a scapegoat for when something goes wrong. If a masked girl does something she feels bad about, she can tell herself that those actions weren't the REAL her.