Today has been selected to celebrate women on a global level through International Women’s Day. I was asked a question a few days ago how I was going to celebrate, and I honestly could not answer. That we have selected one day to celebrate has been considered by some asking why just one day. And shouldn’t it be everyday? While there is some truth in that, I want to take a moment to really consider what this really means to me. After all, I have lived my entire life as a woman, so I should have some insight, right?
I do believe that it is important to take a day to really call into mind just what a woman is. We all know the Betty Crockers, June Cleavers, and the little woman in the kitchen baking cookies for her family with a smile and pearls dressed to go out on the town. We know the Betty Friedans, Gloria Steinems, Helen Reddys, and those women who fought so hard for equality in the workforce and for an equal voice in life. And I completely love and respect all of these women. But, what I want to ask is – What is being a woman to YOU!
Here is what it means to me. I am an equal partner to my husband. I can be tough as nails when I need to be or soft as feathers when I need be. There is no shame in taking care of my family, and there is no shame in pursuing those things that make my heart sing. I can be proud of the sisterhood of woman even though often it seems as if we tear each other apart with our jealousies and envies. I can be proud of those women who have stood strong all over the world to make a real difference. And I can be proud of those men who have stood with them as they embraced their own strength through “their women.” Even the phrase, “their women,” sounds a bit anti-feminist, doesn’t it. We do not belong to anyone, and yet, when we acknowledge that we have a partnership in our life, there is a true connection that gives some ownership of the partner. So, being a woman also means that I honor the man with whom I have shared my adult life, and frankly, I don’t mind being “his” woman because he is “my” man.
That is the most important piece of this for me. Being a woman that is strong, independent, empowered, and attempting to be authentic in this life is about relationships – with myself and with “my” man, my daughters, my grandsons, my son-in-law. I can be exactly the woman I want to be anytime. I can choose to make my heart sing. I can choose to change careers and live my life as I see fit. And no amount of legislature, societal rules, or cultural norms can change that in me.
What does being a woman mean to me? Freedom to choose to love, honor, and be myself. So, in honor of International Women’s Day, I absolutely love being a woman! How about you?
Dancing Naked 