From birth, I, like so many other American females, was taught under the falsities of misconstrued perspectives of femininity. Humanness was untolerated, and flaw was simply unacceptable.
Incidentally, I grew complacently conformed to these binding, sexist mores, petrified to submit to any forms of weakness, such as eating, talking, or going to the bathroom, lest I never "snag a man."
Gradually, I began growing out of these ridiculous customs and enjoying my quirky idiosyncrasies. It wasn't until I finally began dating that I noticed these sexist myths begin to resurface. With them, emerged my compulsion to keep silent (Women aren't suppose to speak...unless, of course, when spoken to. Debating is out of the question), eat modestly (It's unlady-like to have an appetite, or hips), and resist excretion (Because it is inhumane for females to--cautious whisper--"make." Watering out is fine as long as it's seductive and referred to by some pretty euphemism like "watering out" or "tinkle"). In my process to Stepfordize, I began wondering, when is it okay to be real? Not real like in terms of 'earnesty', but in terms of actual human existence. Must I always have alabaster skin? May I ever enjoy a hearty bath that isn't fashioned to the setting of Hollywood film? Can I ever be seen with the face God and my mother saw fit for me to have, independent of Lancome and Clinique? May I never enjoy a passionate, enlightened debate because it isn't befitting of a lady?
I enjoy being a girl just as much as the next song, but I equally value being a student, a writer, a mentor, a friend...a person. Why isn't it okay for females to express feminity when applicable without being framed and detached from personality? Just a thought.
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