Ever since I was a child I was told what to do and what not to do because I was a girl. I was told that girls had to be polite, have manners, and speak only when spoken too. I was told I could not do cartwheels in the grass because I had a dress on.
I was told that I couldn’t cut my hair short because I’d look like a boy. I was told that pink had to be my wardrobe color of choice. Why? Because I was born with female sex organs. One thing that decided what my entire life course should be like.
For example, my 12 year old sister Corinthia is not like your average girl. Since she was little she didn’t like the color pink, hated (and still does) wearing dresses, and prefers watching sports and action movies. She loves converse, beanies, and sportswear.
Yet, people judge her because they don’t fit the image of what they believe a girl should look or act. So what if she doesn’t enjoy playing with dolls and makeup. So what if she doesn’t like wearing dresses.
I do not see the problem. She is her own person. She is not a replica of the barbie doll, but who cares. Now as a 19 year old my grandmother told me that I need to learn how to cook because when I get married that is what a good wife does.
That because I am a woman, I need to learn to be a good cook so that I can slay in the kitchen everyday of my married life to please my husband. For some odd reason society has an image in their head of what a woman should be.
If you don’t fit that image, you are frowned upon or judged. There is constant pressure to fit this single image of a woman coming from all directions. I am told to be a walking contradiction. Society tells me to be skinny and curvy but not too skinny or curvy. To be sexy yet respectable.
Society also says that woman should be a mother but also have a successful career. I remember my mother once told me about a story when she was in college. It was her first semester and she recently got married and had me.
She took night classes and her professor had her stay after class to talk to her. He asked her what she was doing in college away from her children when she should be at home taking care of her children.
My mother was appalled. Why did it matter if she had children, she was in college to get a degree and to have a career to help take care of me. What about my father? He had a job, why wasn’t he judged for not being at home taking care of the children. Because my father is a man and society puts that responsibility on the woman.
Society also tells me that I should take care of my husband like a child but not treat him like one. I should wear makeup, but not too much. I shouldn’t be shy but not too talkative. I should make my own income but not more than my husband. Don’t even get me started on the pressure of getting married not too young but not too old.
I don’t understand. This is the 21st century. Women should be allowed to be their own person and make their own choices without being judged. My issue is why do I have to have a list of responsibilities and qualities that I should meet.
Why do I have to get married before 25 but not later than 30? Why do I have to be between 110-130 pounds? Why do I have to love the color pink, what’s wrong with green? What is wrong with preferring soccer over ballet?
Absolutely nothing. However, women feel the constant pressure of having to meet a certain criteria to feel accepted by society. I am done stressing out about being the perfect woman and fitting this cut out image of what a woman should be.
I want to be my own person regardless of sex. I encourage all women to be their own person regardless of what society thinks.
Susy Macias
Viewpoints Editor
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