A Look at The Modern Woman
In many ways, as women, we are living lives that couldn’t have easily existed in the past. We go to school, get jobs, make money, and have much more control over each aspect of our lives. Things like birth control and job opportunities are major reasons why the world has changed for us.
There’s a lot of chatter about what the modern woman should do with her life. Where should she live? How should she live? What kind of work does she do? How much money does she make? How does she spend her money? Does she marry? If so, then who does she marry? And, what exactly does a feminist look like?
But truthfully, the answer for each woman is it depends. The joy of this era is we have the ability to chose the lives we want. They don’t have to be rigid or expected, above all, they should be ours.
What does this have to do with Amal Clooney? Well, maybe nothing, but I feel like she’s a good representation of what I’m talking about. Amal Clooney is an attorney and human rights activist. She went to Oxford and NYU, clerked, for now, Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, and has been a guest professor at places like Columbia University. Overall, she seems like a pretty smart person. And she also happens to be married to George Clooney, which is why a lot of us know who she is. People were surprised by Amal’s interest in fashion as if an attorney can’t also have an awesome shoe collection. When I think about discrimination, I think about the limitations it brings. Often times, men are allowed to have multiple interests and hobbies without anyone questioning their professional life. Women, don’t always get that luxury
When they think of a professional woman, they think of one who never has fun. When they think of a woman who is fun, they think she couldn’t also be professional.
But I want to assert the modern woman is who and what she wants to be, Maybe she prioritizes formal education, or maybe her hobbies are most important to her. As 2020 comes to a close, there’s one thing I keep reminding myself “No one wins when you aren’t yourself”.
This seems simple, but I feel like women are often raised to be people-pleasers and to accommodate others. Even when I was a younger girl, I was praised for being polite and following the rules. There are instances when these traits are good and help us, but sometimes they’re hurtful. I hope women consider their needs, desires, and motivations as a top priority. When we’re comfortable and confident, we show up as the best version of ourselves. This benefits us and will also benefit anyone who interacts with us. The dreams we have may not conform to what people expect from us, even those who love us the most. However, I also believe when we show up as ourselves, it shows other people they can show up as themselves too!
