Yesterday was international women's day.
AS a woman in this century I can Vote, I can wear trousers or a skirt whatever colours I like, I can wear my hair long or short in fact in terms of social perception the only thing I can't do as a woman in this Century is become a bishop or a Catholic priest. I do appreciate that is not true across the world but it is certainly true here in Britain. So what in a world of equality does it really mean to be a woman in the 21st century? over the years gender roles have been more defined but now in the 21st century it seems we are getting more and more blurred with what defines female and male. So what remains of our gender?
My first thoughts were:
Biologically I am a woman. I have 2 X Chromozones I have the capacity to reproduce as a Mother (not that I have done so yet!) I have a female body shape and I am A Mezzo- Soprano.
Aside from the last comment is our biology all that should define us as women. Femininity is about gentleness its about being beautiful and in the past it has come with a whole plethora of social etiquette ( I am talking calling cards, chivalry, closets and fans) a feminist may argue that these were all in place to suppress women's rights to be equal but is that really true? What happened to being pre-disposed to liking the beauty of things. Fondness for Flowers and things that are cute. There are women for whom that isn't the case - I suppose there have been all down the centuries but history glosses over the minority or they didn't speak such things.
Then I realised there is a distinct difference from being a woman to being feminine, femininity is the cultural application of the female gender it is what socially defines what being a woman is. In this country- in this century a woman has free reign over her style choices and femininity has never been so diverse. From black and purple swirls to pink and white stripes. We have a common consensus what constitutes feminine which perhaps isn't east to articulate its the feelings thing its the clothing we wear. 9 times out of ten if you see someone's clothing you could say that they were a man or a woman. or their bedroom you would know instinctively that they were either female or male if they were an adult of course...
I think we have lost some of the beauty of the damsel. I think we have allowed society to say to us that we are women therefore we have to be high powered we have to balance being equal with our body clocks and we have to buy into this view that we are supposed to have a double life. By that I mean to the outside world we are supposed to be equal and in the work place not notice gender in how we behave and how we are professionally even in the home be equal in our place. That is not right either we should expect a mirroring symbiotism gender neutralising the world or allow ourselves to embrace the whole femininity social construct for what it is - we were designed to be female why not embrace that. Its not a modern view or a politically correct one. God made me to be equal to anyone else [definitely not better than anyone else] he also made me a woman I'm not going to ignore that part of his design.
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