My fiance and I had been together for 5 years, and he recently proposed to me. Everything was going great, but one phrase changed everything. My future mother-in-law said that my nose was “too big” and needed surgery. I had never thought about my appearance in this way before – I always thought my nose was beautiful and unique.

Honestly, I like my nose. In a world where so many people wear identical, flattened and idealized noses, I am proud of my natural beauty and uniqueness. But then my fiance started thinking about me getting surgery before the wedding, supposedly to “improve” my appearance. He even suggested going to a consultation together to discuss “this problem”.

That was the moment when I realized that I don’t want a man who doesn’t appreciate me for who I am. I’m not going to change myself for the sake of someone else’s beauty standards. But my patience finally snapped when his mother signed me up for a consultation at the hospital without my consent. She thought it was right because my “beauty” was more important to her than my own opinion.

That same day, I returned the ring and told my fiancé that if he and his family can’t accept me for who I am, they should stay away. I don’t regret my decision. Being myself is my main value, and I will never change my appearance just because someone wants to see me as “perfect”.

Let my nose be a symbol of my strength and self-respect. I deserve to be with someone who loves me for my true beauty, not with someone who sees flaws in me.