We all think we’re being real—whether in public or in private—but the deeper challenge is questioning whether we truly know our real selves at all. In any case, even when we know ourselves we might face various pressures that push us to fit in or not cause trouble – so even the most well-intentioned person might struggle to always be 100% real in public. Sometimes the simplest questions are actually the most complex. Thankfully, we have some wonderful members of the community who offered to share their thoughts on this challenging question.
Tess Mangum
Probably not. This boss, leader and creative problem-solver likes to do traditional things like bake, sew and grow things at home. My PBS crush is Dr. Henry Lewis Gates, of Finding Your Roots. There! I came out with it. Read more>>
Wilson Getchell
Yeah, more or less…. My songs represent the real me, albeit sometimes shaded in figurative language. But my music is personally honest, sometimes perhaps too honest. In many ways it’s my therapeutic crutch; writing songs has always been a way for me to process what’s going on in my own life and the world around me. Read more>>
Zoe Patchin
Pretty much, yeah! I feel like I try to show as much personality online as I can because that’s what’s REAL. I don’t want to be just another influencer girly; I want to be someone that actually shows the real stuff and my real personality and products that I actually believe in Read more>>
Al-Nisa Lawson
The public version of me is the real me for sure. I have never been one to keep up with a persona; I can’t fake being me. Being me doesn’t come with effort, but faking takes too much effort. I love being me and the weirdness that I exude. I enjoy making people laugh, and I also enjoy myself. Read more>>
