Babae ka, hindi Babae lang: Unapologetically Embracing Femininity

Talking about gender issues might be seen as a touchy subject, but it's no secret that gender discrimination is a very real thing. From my own life experience, I can sum up growing up as a girl in one word: horrid. Even now, I sometimes find myself frustrated with the fact that I was born a girl, as it often feels like I had to hide my true self to fit in and avoid standing out.  

As I got older, my insecurities persisted, along with the unmistakable signs of my femininity. I did everything I could to distance myself from being labeled as "girly," which I'd often heard used as an insult or a way to put down women and girls. The irony is that being 'girly' is one of the defining qualities of girlhood. I wore baggy clothes, pretended to like black, avoided makeup, and did everything I could to avoid embracing the girl who genuinely wanted to wear pink and glitter. But all my attempts to break away from these norms only made me more insecure because that wasn't my truth. I was living for others' expectations, not for myself. It was confusing, but I learned early on that being a woman often means putting on a performance. This makes me think of a quote from the book "The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia Plath: “Being born a woman is my awful tragedy. My consuming interest in men and their lives is often misconstrued as a desire to seduce them, or as an invitation to intimacy. Yet, God, I want to talk to everybody I can as deeply as I can. I want to be able to sleep in an open field, to travel west, to walk freely at night...”

You might have noticed by now that this is sounding pretty 'feminist' and 'girl power,' and you're right. I'm a feminist, and I'm not afraid to say it. The shame and discrimination I've faced, along with the experiences of countless other girls and women, have made me angry at the thought of ever being embarrassed about being a girl. I like pink, I like Barbie, I like mini-skirts, and I like glitter. And I'm not ashamed to admit it. In the words of Taylor Swift, "I miss you, but I miss sparkling." I might miss the simplicity of blending in, but I'm a girl who likes to be social and shine. 

Latest picture of mine that encapsulates my love for femininity

Let it be clear that girlhood isn't limited to sparkly dresses, liking pink, or contributing to materialism and consumerism. Everyone defines their girlhood in their own unique way, and that's what makes the world of girlhood so beautiful.