When did being a woman become a burden

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I’ve been trying to clear these thoughts from my mind for a while. I don’t know who might read this, and I worry some could misunderstand it. I finished the book, “The End of Woman,” by Carrie Gress. Lately, I’ve been asking myself: Why does it seem like women want to be anything but women these days? Why are so many women running away from the very thing that makes us beautifully unique?

The Lie That Womanhood Is Oppression

I know this can be a very heated topic these days, and I don’t want it to be all about that. I’m just wondering what has happened to us as women, and why. I see things from different perspectives, but I guess I want to focus on a few issues that have been on my mind for a long time.

I’m a mother, grandmother, daughter, and granddaughter myself. I see things from a very different perspective than most. I was adopted and raised by my grandmother, who was born in 1920. She believed that a young lady needed to learn certain things and behave in specific ways to become a well-rounded woman. I took dance lessons, played musical instruments, and studied deportment and elocution. 

From Books on Our Heads to Boots on the Ground

I don’t think we need to go back that far. I couldn’t find any images of some of the lesions I took. Consider girls walking around with books on their heads or pressing against walls to improve their posture. Perhaps we should bring that back, as I notice a lot of poor posture, including my own. I’d like to see women become women again. I was told men didn’t marry girls who couldn’t cook, couldn’t sew, or manage a household frugally. I was also expected to dress modestly and appropriately. That usually meant something feminine, not always dresses, but that was what it was more often than not.

 I was raised in a somewhat old-fashioned environment, and I moved away from that mindset when I was told that if I went to school, there were only a few accepted degree choices. I joined the Army and was determined to prove that I could do anything a man could do, and I realized that was not entirely true. This led to significant damage to my body, mind, and spirit. Yet I still see the world encouraging this extreme mentality in our young girls.

Modesty, Manners, and the Message We Send

I don’t believe we should return to an outdated era. Instead, what if we encouraged our girls to dress more modestly? This could include not only dresses but also jeans and shirts that fit properly, moving away from yoga pants. While I understand that yoga pants are comfortable and acceptable for wearing at home, we really need to consider how we present ourselves in public. I have more to say on this topic, but I don’t want to create unnecessary controversy.

With an appropriate appearance also comes proper social behavior. We talk and behave in ways we want the world to see us. There is a time and place for everything, and I believe it is time to put cell phones away and revive proper social etiquette. Please and thank you, excuse me if you pass in front of someone. These devices are changing our brains, and not for the better. I see more and more research on the effects a tablet or cell phone has on children’s brains. A recent study found that 50 percent of two-year-olds own a tablet or screen. That might be for another article.

Rediscovering the Strength in Softness

I want to encourage you to understand what a woman is and what she is not. We tend to be more emotional and empathetic. We are capable of carrying and nurturing life, and sustaining it after it is born. Women are designed differently. I’m revisiting some old habits I grew up with and trying to be more cautious about my actions. I’m working to embrace more feminine aspects. I hope others will strive to do the same. I would love to hear some of your comments on being a woman.