Dear women of today,
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
— 1 Samuel 16:7
I am so sorry that society has twisted what it means to be empowered and the lengths that one must go to in order to be acknowledged as or feel powerful. You do not have to be disrespectful to authority or provocative to be powerful. We are told, starting at a very young age, that to be admired and sought after we must look a certain way. We are told using our bodies to get what we want is worth celebrating. We are discovering lust is no longer something to avoid but something we must obtain- a trait which we must all strive to earn. Because life is all about what men and women think of us, right? Because once we feel wanted by someone solely on the basis of being physically attractive, then we will finally feel like we are a part of society, right? Because then we will fill that gaping hole in our life that nothing else seems to fill, right? Wrong.
To be a woman in and of itself is powerful.
Not because we are a sex object, but because of everything else we bring to the table. Women are powerful because they think in terms of the whole picture, paying attention to the detail of each word that comes off your lips while conversing. Women are powerful because they carry life in their womb for nine months. Women are powerful because they are empathetic. Women are powerful because they want to work as a team- they want other women to feel empowered and beautiful and seen. Women are powerful not because of what they wear, but because of the confidence they carry on their shoulders while running, or doing their internships, or driving to pick up their kids from school. Women are powerful because of what is internal rather than what is external.
So, dear society,
Please stop the narrative that women must exploit themselves in order to be empowered and relevant. Women are powerful because they are women. Because there is no one like them. Because they are each unique as individuals. Because they work hard. Because they seek out answers. Because they want to learn. Because they don’t give up the good fight.
Please stop the narrative and fake praise for disrespect in our culture. Ill-mannered women are celebrated because they are “going against the norm.” There are far better ways and reasons for being recognized and remembered. There are ways to “make waves” in society without posting naked photos, hateful comments, and attacking the opposite gender.
Society, please stop celebrating men treating women like the objects you make us feel we have to be in order to be loved. Please stop telling us that we are not good enough the way we are. Can we no longer celebrate the things we were created to do? Can we no longer admire the features we were all born into having, without feeling like we are an outcast? Can we stop ostracizing those who don’t think the same way as us? Can we choose to listen to what makes each person’s brain tick differently in a respectful manner in order to further our own knowledge of humanity and the world? Can we no longer love who we are without the approval of everyone surrounding us?
Women are powerful because they are women.
Not because society tells women what to do and who to be.
Women are powerful because of who they are, not what they are.
Dear Society,
Your definition of women is invalid.
Dear Women of Society,
You’re so much more than a definition could narrate.
The Kind Crusade 