Being a woman... what does that mean?
I have not figured that one out yet, because there are so many misconceptions of what a woman should be nowadays. Misconceptions that were brought up by men. Men who do not have the tools to prove to us that they know better what it is like being a woman. The real question I think we should all be asking is what does it mean to be a man, but we are not ready for that conversation yet. So I guess we will just have to dissect what it means to be a woman.
For many years, growing up I was told that I should aspire to marriage and all things that make a woman attractive, but as I grew older, I realised that all of these things that I was taught to aspire to, were all outdated and misogynistic at best. Looking back, all the teachings were bascially to benefit the 'Man', never the Woman. It is safe to say that I have grown to hate this idea of womanhood that was created by misogynistic and patriatrical opinions.
Being a woman, in South Africa specifically, is having to watch over your shoulder every 5 seconds, because you never know who is watching your every move and is calculating your every move too. Being a woman in South Africa is having to constantly share your live location when getting into an Uber on your way home, because you never know what Mr Uber driver could be thinking at that moment. Being a woman in South Africa is having to be vigilant on who is in the post office and at what times the Female staffers would be in, so that you reduce your chances of being raped and beaten to death in the postal service building. Being a woman in South Africa is contemplating whether or not police will protect you in a time of need or would they be the ones to rape you instead... Being a woman in South Africa is being stabbed and hanged on a tree, while you are 8 months pregnant, by your supposed boyfriend.
Being a BLACK WOMAN in South Africa is having to live in constant fear of what could happen to you because of the colour of your skin and your gender. I will not even touch on the fact that being a black queer woman in South Africa, is a nightmare on its own. You are not only disliked by the men but you are disliked by some women too, so I have heard from my freinds.
Being a woman is having to live by the standards that were created by a society that is dominated by men. A society that does not have our best interests at heart. A society that thinks that they can make final decisions on the bodies of women and what is allowed and not allowed of them. We have sunk so low as a society, that women are only given just enough autonomy that is capable of being tucked and pulled on by men to control.
These are just small explanations of what I think it means to be a woman... There is so much that I could add onto the list but then that would mean I have to write down lifetimes worth of information and facts on here and risk dying while typing. When you read this, I would hope that you get an idea of how hard it is to live amongst the other gender. I would hope that you get an idea of what your sisters/ mothers/ grandmothers/ aunts/ nieces/ girlfriends/ best friends/ daughters are going through E V E R Y D A Y.
And since it is your world, men, I will leave you to answer what it means to be a WOMAN...
