What is a zombie, even?

Well, the word Zombie has many different meanings, but the definition we will focus on is from Dictionary.com:


"The body of a dead person given the semblance of life, but mute and will-less, by a supernatural force, usually for some evil purpose."


This is the most common use, specifically from voodoo. While this may be an apt description, it seems to ignore the rest of zombie culture. I shall break it down into bits to make it easier to digest (also a helpful tactic when eating brains).

1. The body of a dead person given the semblance of life - This is true, though there are those that seem to have been infected with a virus that mimics zombiism. These people should be treated with as much respect as those with true zombiism, even though they have a different condition. There are also those who have been exposed to unbelievably high amounts of radiation and have physically changed to adapt to it. They do not appreciate being called zombies. Don't call them zombies.
2. but mute and will-less - This only applies to those created with dark magics by those who do not practice voodoo (at least not correctly). The others are sometimes capable of speech and most, if not all, of the rest are perfectly capable of making their own decisions.
3. by a supernatural force - This is often a god or demon. Let's not discuss specifics.
4. usually for some evil purpose - This only applies to those created by evil entities. Others become horribly offended by it, as it has created horrible superstitions in non-zombie folk. It is therefore understandably insulting to assume that a zombie is evil simply because they are a zombie.

This is the common image of a zombie that most humans recognize:

Simply because one is a zombie does not mean they cannot be beautiful, however. Unfortunately for zombies, their beauty fades fairly quickly (in the eyes of humans, anyway). Many zombies have successfully made it into the human fashion world, in fact. Here are some examples of zombies of exceptional beauty in the eyes of humans:

See? Even zombies can be beautiful in the eyes of humans! This merely proves that zombies can be beautiful and are often accepted as such by humans.