“Woman is made, not born” – Simone deBeauvoir
My most recent experience of being, amongst other things, a new mother I have begun to question my definition of womanhood. More accurately; beyond the scientific definition of ‘adult female human’ what is a woman? (as opposed to a girl, not as opposed to a man)
It struck me when I realised it had been over 18 months since I had had a period (not that I’m complaining) that my old definition of woman was connected to menstruation. Now in the same moment I realised the folly of my idea because menopausal women, pregnant women and some female athletes have very little use for tampons.
So I started thinking ‘what makes a woman’. I didn’t get very far so I surveyed my network. Most had a feeling of ‘womanhood’ but difficulty explaining it; some had no idea at all. Those whose responses were clearest spoke of deeply felt womanly experiences and were strikingly different. So I let it ferment for a few weeks.
Today, dancing around the living room singing Pink at the top of my lungs I think I decided what ‘womanhood’ means to me. A woman embodies the feminine principle of grace. It is not about what she does, but the quality with which she does it. Womanhood is earned; it is the result of walking through the fire and coming out stronger in resolve and softer in temperament. We own our womanhood more with every tear, every wrinkle and every stretch-mark. We enact our womanhood with every compliment accepted, every hearty laugh and every time we make love. I am not saying all women are the same, but that more often than not we are alike.
What does womanhood mean to you?
Tags: Motherhood, Womanhood
