More
Men have an issue with her face when she's not even trying to make one.
A poet describes what she's thinking when people see her resting bitch face.
04.15.15
A resting bitch face is the face of "a person, usually a girl, who naturally looks mean when her face is expressionless, without meaning to."
But Luivette Resto, a poet and teacher based in Los Angeles, has some comments that are worth listening to about this subject.
She talks about the irony of "resting" when, for women, there often is little rest involved in navigating the reality of their gender.
"As if bitches had the time to rest,
on the body parts of their choice,
when choice has been taken, given,
teased, vetoed, questioned, and compromised."
— Luivette Resto
She talks about how the term "bitch" is used in many different ways in today's society, but often mostly as a derogative term.
"Society tells me I shouldn't be insulted [when I'm called 'bitch.']
The connotation of the word means strength, empowerment, and confidence.
But I don't feel empowered and strong like an Amazonian princess.
Because when 'quit being a little bitch' comes out of a man's mouth,
it is meant to emasculate and degrade his boy,
who has decided to behave emotionally contradictory to his gender."
— Luivette Resto
Her words are more powerful when you hear them. Check out her video here: