Jessica Valenti Quotes

I am not good at first or second impressions, and you have to spend some time with me to know me. Also, I don't want to put my best foot forward and prove something, as that is not me. I would rather be me and have you like me for who I am, instead of being someone else.

Never be ashamed of what or how you feel... just be honest.

People think I'm just sort of this P. T. Barnum, razzle-dazzle guy. They think I go out of my way to be outlandish and theatrical at the expense of having emotions. They don't get that there's another side to me, and I keep trying to show that other side.

I realised that you have to be honest. When you're being open, that's when people connect with you. You just have to be yourself.

I like people who are authentically themselves, and they own it, and most importantly, they own their story.

I think I have come to a place where I'm able to feel more comfortable about being honest.

I've come to realize that the more I censor myself, the less people relate to me.

About all you can do in life is be who you are. Some people will love you for you. Most will love you for what you can do for them, and some won't like you at all.

The truth is: Belonging starts with self-acceptance. Your level of belonging, in fact, can never be greater than your level of self-acceptance, because believing that you're enough is what gives you the courage to be authentic, vulnerable and imperfect.

I just want my relationship to be more for myself rather than a public statement.

I'm just not into trying to convince people like me. I always say to myself, 'It is what it is.' I walk into a situation knowing that people are either going to love me or they're not, and that's OK. I'm just going to be me. You can't be everything to everyone.

I found that the more truthful and vulnerable I was, the more empowering it was for me.

For a long time I tried to manage an honesty and openness about my personal life because I'm human and I'm normal - well, semi-normal.

I never try to be too sexy. People know when you're not comfortable and trying to be sexy.

I'm not on the stage going, 'Look at me! I'm amazing!' I accept my vulnerability, don't pretend I'm something I'm not. I don't want to come across as fake.

What I am is how I came out. No one's perfect and you just have to accept your flaws and learn to love yourself.

I can be me, and people seem quite happy with that.

Why is it better to love than to be loved? It is surer.

Every bit of me is devoted to love and art. And I aspire to try to be a teacher to my young fans who feel just like I felt when I was younger. I just felt like a freak. I guess what I'm trying to say is I'm trying to liberate them, I want to free them of their fears and make them feel that they can make their own space in the world.

My only hope to receive love is to let you see who I am, then I may believe you.

Don't try to be like me. Try to be like yourself. Try to be very good at being yourself.

Some people like you, some people don't. In the end you just have to be yourself.

My dad used to say, 'Just be yourself and you'll be fine,' but it's really, really true.

You can't respect yourself if you're afraid to be who you are.

I think sexy is vulnerability, and there's no way you can act vulnerable. It just has to be there.