2x18: Born This Way

Thanks to the X-Factor, Glee is on hiatus until Nov. 1, so for the next few weeks, I’ll be delving back into some season 2 goodness. First up is my favorite episode of season 2, “Born This Way.” If you haven’t seen the episode, check out this quick Glee-wind!

This episode is all about accepting yourself for who you are. Our favorite Gleeks grapple with the things they don’t like about themselves, but by the end of the episode, they learn to embrace who they are because they were born that way.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

When Finn accidentally breaks Rachel’s nose during a dance practice, the opportunity arises for Rachel to get a nose job. She's concerned that she has a stereotypical, large Jewish nose, and she considers getting a more demure nose like Quinn.

I find it really sad that some girls feel like the only way to feel better about themselves is to undergo surgery. Quinn and Rachel address this by singing a lovely duet, “I Feel Pretty / Unpretty” that beautifully expresses the pain of girls who struggle with their self-image.

It takes a wakeup call from her idol, Barbra Streisand, to snap Rachel out of her self-image crisis. Kurt stages a “Barbra-vention” to remind Rachel that like Barbra, who is also famous for having a large nose, she is one in a million, and her nose makes her special. 

I love this message. All teenage girls struggle with their body image at some point. They want a smaller nose, they want blue eyes, they want full lips, they want to be thinner, they want to be prettier. But this storyline really shows that you don’t have to change your appearance to be beautiful.

Baby you were born this way

At the end of the episode, the gleeks perform the anthem for this episode—Lady Gaga’s hit song, “Born This Way.”Each kid wears a shirt with a word or phrase that shows something that they were embarrassed about or wished they could change, but that they now accept because they were born that way.

Examples include “nose” (Rachel), “can’t dance” (Finn), and “likes boys” (Kurt). I love everything about this scene. The shirts are a great way to accept and make light of a flaw, the dance is fun and upbeat, and the message of the song is inspiring.

Here’s a little tid-bit of the lyrics:

“I’m beautiful in my way

Cause God makes no mistakes

I’m on the right track baby

I was born this way.

Don’t hide yourself in regret

Just love yourself and you’re set

I’m on the right track baby

I was born this way.”

This song really motivates people to accept and embrace differences. It says that no matter what your appearance, race, or sexuality, you should be proud of who you are. Gotta love Glee and its penchant for inspirational messages!


And to throw in some shameless self-promotion, I also recommend that you check out a rendition of “Born This Way” that some friends and I put together. We even made our own shirts. You may recognize the dance. :)