What Does it Mean to Be a Woman?

There’s a lot of controversy in the world around what it means to be a woman. It’s a question that was once simple, but in recent months it seems to have been blown out of proportion. This confusion is partly due to political hot buttons that center on trans people—from the Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson being asked to define “woman” to the flurry of debates about whether or not women have innate gender differences.

One of the most troubling issues with this debate is that it isn’t even based on accurate information. The word “woman” is in the dictionary, and it simply refers to an adult human female with XX chromosomes. The problem with Walsh’s documentary is that he invites guests to define “woman,” but none of them can give an answer that sticks to the facts. Even Jordan Peterson, who makes a cameo, cannot come up with an accurate definition when asked.

What it means to be a woman varies from person to person, because gender is a social construct that can be influenced by culture, expectations, and even feelings. Some women will choose to embrace traditional femininity, while others will challenge gender stereotypes or love other women. Gender identity can also be determined by a sex assigned at birth, but for many people that’s not the case.

The film does make an important point: women’s bodies are innately organized to allow them to bear children. But that’s not a universally applicable argument for why women should have a special status in the world, as a lot of women are not able to have children because of medical reasons or they prefer to abstain from the role altogether.

Aside from the biological aspects of being a woman, there are other advantages that come with the title. Women are typically more creative than men, and they bring those skills to their workplaces where they can help to generate new ideas. They are also more empathetic than men, which helps them to find solutions to problems in their daily lives and in the work place.

Disadvantages include earning less than men for the same job and being passed over for leadership roles. In addition, women are more likely to be raped or murdered than men in some parts of the world.

The most serious disadvantage is that, on average, women live shorter lives than men and have higher rates of depression. But there are ways to help reduce these disadvantages. For example, educating girls and giving them access to health care are key for a woman’s overall well-being.

In this complex and confusing time, it’s crucial that we all use our voices to support women and to stand up for a world that treats them fairly and with respect. It is only with this type of equality that we can move forward as a society. We owe it to the future of our daughters and their grandchildren, and the rest of humanity.