Encouraging Women To Empower Themselves
Chrissy Anderson Speaks
By Krissy Anderson
Iam writing to encourage all women to embrace their voices and empower themselves to live beyond the stereotypes and ideals taught to us as young girls. I am encouraged by the way in which SureWoman.com celebrates womanhood in all of its forms, and I wish that same ability for all women in this world—to be able to celebrate themselves and teach other women and girls to do the same. In the latest newsletter, Body Outlaws: Rewriting The Rules of Beauty and Body Image was reviewed as a statement on the exaggeration women are taught in the way they look at their bodies, and the impossible ideals culture places on our gender. I just completed a graduate studies course studying the effects of the often contradicting views women are taught about what it means to be feminine. While an entire course on this topic, and the sheer pervasiveness of these messages, is overwhelming in and of itself, I am hopeful that women, in a collective effort, can make positive strides in creating and living out alternative messages in their lives, and help their female family, friends, and young girls do the same.
I see the best way to go about this is to first accept the truth of what it means to be female in our society, instead of unconsciously embracing what it is that magazines, movies and other media tell us. Once we determine and accept what that truth is for ourselves—for example, accepting our bodies even though they do not resemble the ideal of the skinny, emaciated models and movie stars, and learning what it means to eat and look healthy according to what our bodies need—we need to express this truth to as many other women as possible. In my opinion, years of secrecy, discrimination and sexualization of women can only be fought by giving voice to truth, to loving our bodies, and teaching future generations the art of doing this for themselves.
For those who have not yet seen The Vagina Monologues, I would recommend seeing this play as a launching pad for the way in which we can be more vocal regarding what it means to be a woman. Focusing on the mystery and disgust that our culture surrounds the vagina, female masturbation, menstruation and menopause with, The Vagina Monologues give voice to the anger, the confusion, the passion and the sensuality that surrounds the vagina and all it represents to feminine culture. Seeing this play encourages all women to speak up against the conflicting message of “Be sexual but not too sexual,” the idea that we must hide and be ashamed of our periods, and the ways in which Playboy ideals of hairless, nymphomaniacal women can severely challenge our relationships. Most importantly, The Vagina Monologues challenges women to be Vagina Warriors, to speak openly about their their needs, the lies society taught them as young girls, and their vaginas.
It has been while watching this play and taking this graduate course that I have recognized the importance of speaking to one another openly about our sex lives, what it feels like to be pregnant, have a child, be a parent, go through menopause, be in a significant relationship without letting it control our lives, and learn how to teach this all to young women. It is only through doing this—speaking up for ourselves, taking care of ourselves, and speaking out to future generations—that we can break the cycle of negative stereotypes and expectations of our gender, and change them for the better.
Copyright 2008 © Dawn Prince. Not to be reprinted without expressed permission.
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