All the Powerful Ladies--Put Your Hands Up!

            Ladies—it’s time! The world is ours (to be in, but not of), the future a stretch of endless possibilities (literally), the barriers of low-self-confidence stripped away. Wait, that last one wasn’t quite as congruent, huh? That’s because that’s my plug today.

                You are beautiful. You are strong. And you are women.

                What is woman? It’s not petticoats—but it’s not business suits either. It’s not aprons, and it’s not name-tags. It’s not heels versus boots, or long locks against pixie-cuts. Woman is you at your finest. Woman is power in the most subtle, discreet, and impacting way.

                That’s not to say women are generally discreet, or should be, for that matter. I’m not, that’s for sure. Except for my chronic-lurking.  Being discreet or not is left up the individual lady, but womanhood is a power that is so subtly in and of itself, we as women don’t seem to appreciate it. And if we don’t, you know the men aren’t. Girls—value yourselves! Understand what you are and how much effect that will leave on the world.

                 Sometimes we women get goofy and demand to wear pants to church, to not wear bras in the 60’s, etc., and forget that we don’t need to be men to be powerful. In fact, I get affronted when people suggest radical feminism to me. What, being a woman isn’t good enough anymore? I have to deny my beauty, deny my curves, deny even my rights to wear skirts (they’re comfy, guys), because that means I am suddenly less powerful?

                 I have to be a man now? No thank you.

They smell. And I enjoy smelling nice, thank you very mas.

                The point is, girls, being a woman is powerful. Being a homemaker is powerful, wearing aprons is powerful, baking is powerful. So is going out to work, wearing suits (I’m a sucker for a nice pencil skirt, myself), and buying TV dinners—okay, maybe not the last one. I’m not sure I’ve known anyone who actually enjoys those. I think everyone craves a home-cooked meal, whether or not it was made by mom.

                Ladies, young adults, girls! Wake up! You don’t need to put yourself in a box. That’s what true, original feminism was supposed to be about. You don’t need to be the homemaker if that’s not what you want to do. But you can be a homemaker if that is what you want to do, and don’t let anyone disrespect it. Some women like being the bread winner, others don’t. I’d venture to say most don’t, generally, since that usually means your man is a wuss, but maybe that’s just me.

                I like aprons! With frills and patterns and everything!

                I like being maternal, thinking about how I’ll decorate my home one day, and letting men open doors for me. Yet, if you asked, my friends would definitely say I was more on the feminism side of the female spectrum. Why? Because true womanhood is self-respect. A woman who respects herself understands that she is a woman, not a man, and can still go about doing things men might do. Or not, as she chooses. I want to get married. I want to cherish my husband and bake cookies for him. I also expect him to cherish me, and fix my computer or car for me. I want to stay at home with my kids. And before that, I want to be a teacher—during, I want to be a writer. He can be what he wants, as long as he takes care of us. We is we, I am me, and He will be him.

                My favorite, and admittedly fictional, example of this is Captain Janewey from Star Trek Voyager. She is the commander of a starship, an irrefutable source of authority, and one of the most fantastic leaders on television. Yet, she can be extremely soft, and, no matter what, she is always feminine. She’s a woman, guys. She didn’t turn herself into a man to be a Captain! She didn’t forsake her nightdresses or long, beautiful hair. Janeway is a woman with self-respect.

                Self-respect is today’s mantra, guys. You thought it was feminism? Nope. Self-respect, and an equal respect for others, is what makes the world go round.

                Okay, actually, the world goes ‘round because of some laws of space and gravity and the sun or something, but you know what I mean.

Okay, never mind. Just repeat after me:

                Self-respect.