Femininity

I'm embarking on a new journey of discovery as I attempt to answer a simple question central to the soul of a woman- What is femininity? What makes us feminine? Or unfeminine? Does femininity mean frilly skirts, the color pink, high healed shoes, baking skills, and an Anthropologie wardrobe? Am I unfeminine if I prefer my stretchy sweat pants and men's Hanes T-shirt? What happens if I don't always fit the role of patient, loving, nurturing, and soft spoken? What if my spirit is not always gentle and quiet? What if I choose to wear dark colors or slouchy boyfriend jeans- am I less of a woman? Does it make me unfeminine?

As women we are constantly bombarded with images and opinions of what it means to be feminine. We've been taught that good girls don't drink beer, play sports, wear dark colors, or speak their mind. We're encouraged to properly accessorize, speak softly, keep a clean home, and send prompt thank you cards. And if these are the things that make me a women- boy am I in trouble! But what if we stop defining femininity in such narrow terms, if we open our minds to the true soul of a woman, what will we find? What makes women- all women- feminine??

"The emancipation begins neither at the polls nor the courts. It begins in a woman's soul."

-Emma Goldman