Femininity--Kenzie

The quality of womanliness. To many, it’s the curve in one’s hips or the high octave of their voice. Dresses, pink, high heels and an hourglass figure are the things people most often associate with feminine things. From birth, females are told that to be respected we must act feminine and comply to these standards. But in truth, femininity is not the color pink, the process of putting on mascara or even being a woman. You can be feminine in your actions and tendencies without wearing dresses or nail polish. Femininity can lie within nature, objects and men. It is not a label but a quality that anyone or anything can have despite their gender or material qualities. Mother nature, the earth itself is one of the most highly respected things in the world. It is the basis of all living creatures and is responsible for the changes of everyone's environment. Mother nature plays a pivotal role within every living things life. Nature is described as a woman because of its raw beauty and its tendency to bring solitude to the things that surround itself. The hugs from the swirling wind, the joy from the vibrant flowers and the protection of the towering mountains represent the similar compassion and love that mothers and women naturally give. And although femininity is one of the most beautiful and raw qualities to exist, people often look down upon it. Feminine things are sadly described as fragile, weak and inadequate. The same way one can look at the most beautiful sunflower and call it ugly because of its ability to lose its petals. People tell bad baseball players that they “throw like a girl” because being feminine in today's society is not amiable or seen as a sign of strength. For centuries, women were not allowed to vote or participate in any physical career because of this stereotype. It took until the year 1917 for the government to allow women into the military because their feminine weakness impaired them from fighting for our country. To me, femininity does not equate to being fragile or easily broken. To be feminine is to be strong even when everyone believes you are weak. It's the strength that lies within the physical and mental ability it takes for a human body to create another living being, the courage it takes to stand their ground through times of discrimination, and the warmth of a mother's heart towards any child. The essence of being a woman is not defined by the weaknesses that others see us as but by the phenomenal qualities that many chose to overlook. Maya Angelou once said ”You may shoot me with your words, You may cut me with your eyes, You may kill me with your hatefulness,But still, like air, I’ll rise.” I believe that the most honorable quality of feminine people is their ability to rise in despite of society's attempt to sink them. To represent the quality of femininity is not a shameful thing but a quality that one should wear with honor and pride for it resembles raw beauty, compassion and undeniable strength.