Category: WOMEN AND SOCIETY

Jealousy: Foe or Friend?

~ womeninlivingness

Recently I realised that I was often feeling jealous and compared myself to other women, particularly my friends. If they achieved something or were doing well, got a new boyfriend, a lovely dress, anything really, I would feel small pangs of jealousy arise within my body.

In the past I have quickly pushed down these feelings of jealousy and then played the ‘nice friend’, commenting and congratulating them on whatever it is that they shared. Because the jealousy was only a small feeling, nothing too big that only lasted for a few seconds, I didn’t think I had jealousy issues.  Continue reading “Jealousy: Foe or Friend?” →

The ‘Fairer Sex’ – the Trick of ‘the Pink Treatment’

~ womeninlivingness

I love pink. It is so naturally tender and feminine, but at some point as a girl I clocked that being dressed in pink was being branded with staying submissive, being weak, and being less. It was at times a feeling of being made to ‘look pretty’, so the focus was on the ‘girly’ appearance and not the expression of what was inside – the stark difference between pink being weak or less and actually being full of powerful, loving, radiant beauty. Continue reading “The ‘Fairer Sex’ – the Trick of ‘the Pink Treatment’” →

A Letter for all Women and Girls

~ womeninlivingness

This is a letter for all daughters to read to get a glimpse of how their mothers may have felt about them when they were teenagers or now that they are teenagers. This letter may also uncover how we wished our mothers had communicated to us when we were becoming women and making our way in the world. This letter offers us an opportunity to feel and heal any sadness we may have hiding away in relation to our mothers and our relationship. Where there is a line just insert your name, reading this letter as if your mother wrote it just for you. Continue reading “A Letter for all Women and Girls” →

Misogyny and the Sliding Scale of Abuse – Our Responsibility

~ womeninlivingness

According to statistics and a number of surveys around the World, misogyny and the abuse of women is on the rise.

A survey by the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights found about a third of all women in the EU have experienced either physical or sexual violence since the age of 15. The survey found that “one in 10 women has experienced some form of sexual violence since the age of 15, and one in 20 has been raped”. 

Every 90 seconds, somewhere in America, someone is sexually assaulted – Calculation based on 2012 National Crime Victimization Survey. Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Department of Justice.

Since the age of 15, one third of women (33%) have experienced inappropriate comments about their body or sex life, one quarter (25%) have experienced unwanted sexual touching, and one in five (19%) have been stalked. Australian Bureau of Statistics (2006) Continue reading “Misogyny and the Sliding Scale of Abuse – Our Responsibility” →

The Roles We Hide In

~ womeninlivingness

Throughout my childhood I took on roles so that the world would see me, and so that I knew who I was.  Sometimes the ‘tidier’, sometimes the ‘wrecker’, sometimes the ‘quiet one’ and sometimes the ‘screamer’.  As time went on I began to cement these roles, becoming known as the peacemaker and carer within my family.

If I had a role then everything made sense.  Without thinking, I could work from the script.

Continue reading “The Roles We Hide In” →

The Woman, The Mother

~ womeninlivingness
Nicole Serafin - Age 42
Nicole Serafin (Age 42)

Walking into a business this week being complimented on how great I looked, then being met with utter confusion by the clerk as to how I could look so great when she found out I had 2 children (a 6 yr old and a 12 month old), made me ponder on how we women see ourselves when we become mothers.

A lot of women feel a sense of losing their identity after having children – they become someone’s mother. Some also believe it is impossible to maintain the same level of care for themselves when they become mothers. Continue reading “The Woman, The Mother” →

No Children – I am No less of a Woman

~ womeninlivingness

A very normal and common question to ask a woman is whether she has children or not, especially on a first encounter this is something we tend to ask. The other day I was visiting a friend’s house and I met a man there who was house-sitting the house at the time, we started talking and quite soon in the conversation he asked me if I had children, “No” I replied, “I don’t”.

In the past I used to not leave it at ‘no’ because I always felt I had to explain myself as to why I don’t have children. I was always feeling uneasy and awkward with the silence that would follow my ‘no’ so I would fill that gap with just letting out words and explaining my situation. Continue reading “No Children – I am No less of a Woman” →

Learning to Express Myself

~ womeninlivingness

What is it that gets in the way of me truly expressing myself?

  • Wanting to please other people and make sure that I act in a way that makes them feel reassured and accepted
  • Wanting to be the best, to be noticed or to be rewarded in some way for taking part…always after that A* prize of recognition
  • Fear/shame/embarrassment of not wanting to reveal myself as some kind of inept imposter
  • The ‘children should be seen and not heard’ mantra from childhood
  • Not wanting my expression to spiral into an uncomfortable emotional reaction, because I’ve been holding back for so long, and there is so much to say Continue reading “Learning to Express Myself” →

Being a Woman in Society Today – Our Role and Our True Purpose

~ womeninlivingness

by Nicole Serafin, Woman, Wife, Mother, Pharmacy Reception, Tintenbar, NSW, Australia

Each one of us has a purpose, a role in life and for each woman that will look different.

In the past it was common for women to stay at home with the sole purpose of looking after and raising a family. It was unheard of having a job, let alone that which was of equal stature to that held by men.

Somewhere along the line we were led to believe that this was our sole purpose and that we were not here to be more than that which we were already living; a wife, housewife, mother, sister, friend, companion … Continue reading “Being a Woman in Society Today – Our Role and Our True Purpose” →

What is a True Woman?

~ womeninlivingness

by Adele Leung, Fashion Stylist/Art Director, Hong Kong

I am a woman who is single presently but I happen to have mothering duties. I have been blessed with a petite and delicate body frame and a radiating smile, yet, my power does not come from my physical looks or stature. In honesty, I do not have what society has for a long time found comfortable in labelling women as.

Being a female growing up, I have always tried to live what was expected of a woman. However, I have discovered that this definition continues to differ when I am in different parts of the world and in different cultures.  Continue reading “What is a True Woman?” →