What Does it Mean to Be a Woman?
Women are a remarkable group. We have the power to be compassionate and caring, while also being fiercely independent. We have the ability to be wise and witty, as well as foolish and naive. We are the heart of every family, and the backbone of the community. And yet, there are still many barriers that women must face in their lives, even after significant advances in the past few decades. These issues range from violence against women, to the lack of representation in leadership roles at work and in public life.
One of the biggest challenges for modern women is how to define “woman.” Some people struggle with this question, and find themselves drawn into arguments over what it means to be a woman. Others reject the label entirely and try to live in a way that’s more compatible with their gender identity, whether they transition medically or through other forms of personal change.
A few weeks ago, Matt Walsh wrote a post arguing that trans women are not truly women, because they don’t have a uterus and vagina. Walsh is a conservative columnist who often writes about culture and politics. But he’s missed the point: it is not about whether or not a uterus and vagina makes someone a woman, but how that person feels about herself and their own gender. The only thing that defines a woman is what she thinks and feels about herself, not whether or not they have ovaries or a vagina.
For most people, being a woman is something that they learn. They are taught about how to dress, how to speak, and the expectations that society places on them as females. These are all very important aspects of being a woman, but they don’t necessarily define it for everyone. For example, there are plenty of women who wear thongs and don’t have ovaries or vaginas, but who feel very deeply about their gender identities, and about how they are treated as females.
Female is a noun that refers to an adult female human being, and it’s used for scientific, statistical, and other objective purposes. It’s a neutral contrast to male, and it can be used in positive or negative contexts. It’s sometimes used negatively, in terms like a gossipy woman or a conniving girl.
In recent decades, women in most societies have gained access to careers that were once closed off to them. They are now entering professional schools in numbers nearly equal to men, and they’re pursuing leadership positions. But these gains have been tempered by persistent problems, from a lack of affordable childcare to workplace inequity and the ubiquity of sexism. It will take a long time before the representation of women in senior leadership at companies is even close to matching the proportion of women in the workforce. Until then, we must continue to fight for the rights and equality of all women.