Women and Gender Throughout History

Women have made significant strides throughout history, but gender is still a complicated issue. While many have fought to gain full and equal rights, women around the world continue to face obstacles like discrimination and violence. Women can also struggle with gender identity issues, including feeling unsure about how to define themselves and their lives.

Women’s identities can be shaped by a variety of factors, from the external expectations of society to internal feelings and experiences. This means that the definition of a woman can vary widely from person to person, and even from moment to moment. For some women, being a woman may include traditional feminine characteristics like being a homemaker or caring for children. For others, it might mean challenging gender stereotypes or identifying as lesbian.

Gender is often imposed on people from birth, and this can be a powerful influence on their lives. For example, parents of expecting babies often speculate on the sex of their unborn child. This can lead to binaries that can follow individuals throughout their life, and can affect how they feel about hobbies, traits, and relationships.

Some of these binaries, such as men being viewed as more powerful, are based on outdated and harmful ideas. In modern societies, women are often treated as second class citizens and given less opportunities to pursue their goals. This can have a detrimental impact on their health and well being. Women can be more susceptible to mental health issues such as depression and anxiety, and are more likely to experience sexual harassment or assault than men.

Throughout history, many different definitions of women have emerged. Some are positive and heroic (virago, zamazim, Amazon) while others are pejorative (strumpet, wench, malkin). New senses of the word have appeared over time as culture and language change, and some have died out altogether (unchaghe, mot, kittock).

While it can be helpful to look at the various ways that women have been defined throughout history, it is equally important to understand that the word has no fixed meaning. Attempting to pin down a single definition of “woman” is counterproductive and narcissistic, especially when some women are struggling with gender dysphoria. Perhaps the best answer to this question is that a woman is an adult human female, but this is not a satisfying explanation for anyone who feels uncomfortable or excluded by the term. Instead, we should strive to address the underlying issue with compassion and rigorous research. Hopefully, Matt Walsh’s documentary will be one step in this direction.