We talk a lot on this blog about the heavy stuff, from body image to rape to women and the priesthood. And those are all serious issues that I normally LOVE to discuss. But lately I've focused so much on the drawbacks to being female, all the ways we're demeaned and discriminated against, that I haven't thought much about the benefits.
I adore being a woman because I adore the female body. It is a magnificent thing, no matter your shape. I love my own softness, but that does not detract from women with more sharp or angular bodies. I love being petite, but I also find taller women to be plenty beautiful. We're just all so gorgeous! And thank heavens we don't really have to worry about shaving our faces. That would be really inconvenient.
I adore being a woman because I really love stereotypical girly stuff. I didn't always; when I was a kid my favorite color was red (the color I then believed to be the least girly one that was still cool) and I hated wearing dresses and I played in the woods with the neighborhood boys. And that was okay because that's what I liked. Now, though, I enjoy pampering myself. I enjoy sequins and pink and bubble bath and lotion and ruffled dresses and all of that junk. I'm glad that, as a woman, there's not really a stigma against any of that, whereas a man might feel ashamed for liking any of that because it's supposedly not macho enough.
I adore being a woman because I have the freedom to express myself openly. Some men are better at this than others, but I think it's safe to say women tend to divulge on their feelings far more often than men do. I may not enjoy crying in public but I don't worry about being ostracized for doing so.
I adore being a woman because I adore shopping and expanding my wardrobe and really experimenting with my clothes. I adore being a woman because I rather enjoy chivalry, despite the fact that some resent it nowadays. I adore being a woman because it generally means I can wait to be asked out on dates (though I have certainly done the asking on several occasions). I adore being a woman because I have the potential to someday be a mother. I adore being a woman because I think crafting is awesome and fun.
I could go on and on about why I love being a woman. I'm sure lots of other women could, too. And their lists may resemble mine or they may look completely different. We all have different experiences that impact our outlook on life.
But I suggest that, if you are female, you take the time at some point soon to write your own list of reasons to love being a woman. And feel free to share your reasons here! Celebrate yourself. Celebrate your womanhood. Celebrate the body and the identity God has given you.
Kelsey Allan is a senior studying English and editing.
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