By Charlene M. Brown
When I Google the term “renaissance women” I get quite a mixed bag of results that range from medieval to angry and militaristic. There are doctor’s offices as well as the ladies of the Harlem Renaissance. All of these were good information, but not quite what I searching for.
A long time ago, I got into an argument with my best friend. I said that I could do anything a man could do. She said men and women were designed differently and I wasn’t supposed to do all the things that men do.
I think we are both right.
Let me explain.
I never really considered myself a “feminist”, but I know that my mom raised me and my sisters to be strong women. This meant that we would take on challenges that other women would not. We are all built heartily and can lift with the best of them. In fact I was the girl’s arm wrestling champion of the sixth grade and only three boys could beat me. I would routinely challenge boys to things I knew I could beat them in.
I was proud of the fact that I was called the “Black Widow” when I took Martial Arts as a child, for my ability to “whoop” the boys!
However, as I grew older, I began to realize that all of this aggression was misplaced anger. I did not (and do not!) have penis envy, I was just very awkward for a girl and trying to figure out where to put all this awkwardness.
In fact, I was starting to think that my best friend was right!
Now, many years later, I have mixed feelings on the topic. While I still think that I, as a WOMAN, can do anything I want t do, including lift heavy objects and move furniture, I have no desire to do those things. I leave it to the guys! So for all of my pseudo-feminism, there are things I relegate to Man-Duty and am happy to take Woman-Duty status for!
I used to work at a male-heavy community center. Not only did we have a lot of boys, many of the staff were young, able bodied men! When we got in an order for our food cupboard, I happily was relegated to Woman-Duty where I either didn’t have to carry anything at all (because the men took care of it) or I got the lightest things (because a man was doing the dishing out)! Maybe my best friend was right after all.
I don’t like lifting heavy things, even though I can! I don’t like taking out the trash, even though I do. And you know what, it’s nice to have the door opened for me by one of my many gentlemanly friends, even though I can surely open the door for myself. I can appreciate having these things done for me, even though I can absolutely do them myself.
Do I still do things that are “uncharacteristic” for a woman? Absolutely!
I love working with my hands and am pretty good with tools. I can rock pantsuits in a business setting and still be as sexy as if I were in a skirt. I can live by myself and walk down the street at night and not be afraid. I can start my own business and be successful at it without being a man.
I can do so much, yet, honestly, there are some things that I would rather not do and would happily give them up to someone else who will, even if that person is a man—sometimes especially if that person is a man!
So if this is “Feminism” so be it. But if it’s not, that’s okay too! Because I definitely love being a Woman! (Regardless of any labels!)
Do You Love Your Woman-However-You-Define-It Life Now!? I Do!!
Related posts:
- Real Women: Renaissance All the Way!
- Becoming The You You Want to Be: Be Your Own Renaissance Woman!
- Charlie’s Angels, Kept Women, and Buying Your Own Drinks
- Cool Women: Reviewing The Shorts!
- Do Unto Others
Want this article for your own website or ezine? Feel free to use it as long as you include this box.
© 2009 You Can Love Your Life Now!
Tags: charlene brown, charlene brown articles, charlene brown life coach, charlene m brown, charli brown, charli brown articles, charli brown life coach, feminism, feminist, google, harlem renaissance, medieval women, penis envy, real renaissance women, real women, Renaissance Women!, woman duty, you can love your life now
November 2nd, 2009 at 6:35 pm
This blog was very insightful to read. Thanks for the post!
November 10th, 2009 at 11:55 pm
Thanks Tony!