Quotes About Self-expression

I'm an unorthodox type of guy, a funny guy - at least I think I'm funny. And one of the things I like to do is come up with nicknames for myself.

I'm almost always trying to be funny, even when I'm on my own. I think it's the desire to channel my anger and frustration into something more positive than sitting at home being unpleasant.

In a way, I'd rather go into an interview and be disliked, and have unpleasant things written about me, than to have a wonderful, glowing article written that is in no way a reflection of who I am.

My singing voice had rescued me from the scene I was in at school - I was an unpopular, bookish kid who had an indeterminate ethnic background. I became fascinated with women sopranos because they had a future that I didn't as a singer.

Having been unpopular in high school is not just cause for book publications.

One thing that I think is clear is I'm going to be me, no matter the situation, no matter the people I'm around, no matter how popular or unpopular it is, I'm going to be open and honest and be me.

I was 17 years old and in my first band, and we played at the university. I was kind of a gawky, unpopular teenager and there was about 400 people smiling and dancing to what we were doing.

When I did 'Baby Got Back,' I did it to be unpopular.

At a certain period in time, the fashion industry was portraying this image of a totally unrealistic woman, women who are not allowed to be themselves.

You won't find me out in a club. I'm a bit unruly, in my own way.

When I first started out modelling, I was binding my chest at gigs to make sure my physique was able to be 'passable' as male. But now, I never bind. It's highly unsafe and unhealthy.

Sometimes there's a day where I don't feel good being out in the world, and I feel unsafe in the world in general. And an anxiety about just showing up in the world. It's kind of irrational, but people do say things to me out in the street about how I'm dressed.

That was very difficult for me on 'American Idol' to feel like I had to be a certain way. It wasn't that the producers were saying that you shouldn't be gay or whatever, but there was this unspoken energy around saying you have to appeal to Middle America, and Middle America at that point was not ready for all that.

I just feel like in society and in public, we have this unspoken expectation that we're all trying to meet. And there's so much pressure to try to fit in.

'Black-ish' is the cherry on the top of my career... When you come into your own, when you're in your skin, you're unstoppable, because you're living in the moment of life.

You can't define yourself either in shades of what you are contesting or entirely in antithesis to it. By doing so, what you reveal is that you have nothing to say for yourself. Or that you are unsure of your messaging.

Remember the phrase - 'Act your age, not your shoe size?' That didn't apply to me, as they were the same until the age of 12 when my feet stopped growing.

I don't feel the need to be the hot chick every second of the day. I like to be able to surprise people when I turn it on. I want it to be like the movie 'She's All That' when they unveil her.

I like to be myself, and I don't pretend. For instance, I don't dress up for occasions; I am what I am.

The energy you give off is the energy you receive. I really think that, so I'm always myself - jumping, dancing, singing around, trying to cheer everybody up.

I am not in this world to live up to other people's expectations, nor do I feel that the world must live up to mine.

I'm not straight up and down. I have curves.

I was reading fan fiction on Wattpad, but they were taking a little bit to update the stories, so I started writing my own stories to entertain myself. I didn't think anyone would read it.

I'd definitely pose nude again. No qualms. I actually had my breasts done again. Just updated, like new tires.