The Plight of the Modern Woman – The Soul
A woman [this woman], feels like she lives in a boxing ring. Cue loud, male, announcer voice.
In the top right corner we have our MUSCLE MOMMY: Our muscle mommy is known for reverse dieting, periodized nutrition, bulking and cutting, the stair masters and demonizing cardio! She’s got well defined abs, popping shoulders and lats that will make you say, “let’s fly!!”
In the top left corner we have our VOLUPTUOUS TRAD WIFE: Our homemaker is known for kefir, homemade butter, dye free cotton, a homestead with dirt on her kiddos hands, and endless hours to milk her cows while her husband herds the cows. She’s loved for her curves, flowy dresses, sourdough chocolate cookies, and homemade lotions and potions. There’s no WAY in HELL you’ll catch her on that one drug, it’ll only flatten the curve of her womanly experience and rob her of the glorious surge of womanly lust during her ovulatory phase.
In the bottom right corner we have our WHOLE HEARTED QUARTER CLOTHED HIPPIE: This wild flower child, goddess of the moon and daughter of the stars, is known for her astrology signs, her chakra cleansing sage, feathered heart, and light beam soul. She’s denounced the world because she understands it’s simply all an illusion anyway. Her body is here, but her mind is in the clouds as she flies with her star people in nothing but a beautiful lace thong gently resting across her lotus flower.
In the bottom left, we would never forget, THE BOSS BABE: She’s a hustler who runs 10 miles while the rest of the world hasn’t even hit snooze yet. She doesn’t need the sun to get her day started because she tells the sun when to shine, god dammit. She’s got no period, no sex life because her V**** is dry from cortisol and birth control. The boss gal doesn’t need a man cause she’s a CEO of life itself “Fuck kids” she says, “this world is going to shit anyway.” Her 401k is loaded because her plan is to retire at 40 with no memories, bags under eyes and osteoporosis. Finally, she’ll have the time and money to sleep, for the rest of her lonely life. Unfortunately she’s essentially flat lined. She’s removed herself from the “emotional roller coaster” that is, womanhood in order to achieve what her ancestors couldn’t: wealth, independence from men, and power.
Dear me! How could I forget the star of the show… The wokest of them all, SHE/HER/THEM/THEY/US/IT: She cares for all humans and is the truest of true feminists. She IS the definition of feminism, in fact, she may as well have feminism named after her. That’s how much she deeply cares, unconditionally, for all of humanity. As long as each human has no “controversial” or “unorthodox” opinions that may upset the status quo or god forbid hurt her best friend's feelings, who just found out their new pronoun is actually, “It”. [And you better not forget that her friend is now an It otherwise, you’re the scum of the earth who deserves to go right to HELL]. Thankfully, she will micromanage our thoughts, behaviors, and words, because all other humans that disagree with her are simply ill-informed. She is the true caretaker of humanity, she just wants us all to conform to the world she KNOWS FOR A FACT will be the best for every human on earth.
The female archetypes are not all encompassing and their descriptions are riddled with sarcasm [obviously?], but they cover many bases of the modern woman. There’s beauty, purpose, and value in each of these women. They all represent a part of the female experience that is meaningful and deserves to be celebrated. Yet, some women embody the extreme version of the archetype and miss out on some of the most important aspects of being a woman: intuition, flow, curves, mystery and more. Our variety of female friends have their weak spots, but also their strengths. Ultimately they have given women one of the most important resources: opportunity.
Our “muscle mommy” has played a pivotal role in changing cultures' ideas of what a woman’s body must look like and what it can do. She’s let the world know that muscles are beautiful, strength is medicine, and curves are acceptable, and, dare I say, even coveted. While our “woke” friends have shed light on the importance of acknowledging each of us are unique in our design and struggles. The “Boss Babe” shares with us the power women hold as leaders and they deserve just as much respect, voice, and responsibility as any man. Our friend the “trad wife” lets us not forget a core part of who we are as women: lovers, intuitive, curvy, & ever-changing. Finally, the “hippie girl” highlights the importance of accepting the female form and her sexuality without shame. She teaches us about the divine feminine and our innate connection to creation.
Blatantly offending people isn’t a fun hobby, that’s not what the sarcastic and hyperbolic tone is meant to do. It is, in fact, a call to action. I have an ask: can women get curious about the archetype they embody? If one is offended by the words of this silly little human, ask why? Do the words cut? Is it humorous to make fun of one archetype but when it comes to one that permeates your bones….the laughter runs flat? There’s truth in every joke, so they say.
What, then, is a modern woman to be? If not a trad wife, then a woke justice warrior? If neither of those will work, then she must be a free hippie, a boss babe or muscular lover. More often than not these archetypes are housed in a masculine frame of mind. You might ask if any of these archetypes truly rest in the soft, subtle and mysterious nature of feminine.
The plight of the modern women…there are so many archetypes she can be. Although our culture still enforces and prefers skinny. Bigger bodies are more accepted than ever, women are starting to turn away from diet culture, having fun doing things that were previously seen as “men only” and finding themselves making money and accumulating power. But, there’s something about the sacredness of what it means, looks like, and feels like to be a woman that’s been lost along the way of this progress.
Women’s physiology has been stifled. Female empowerment is the message touted in the archetypes, but I’d argue that hidden in them is merely the illusion of female empowerment. And, what we really find is a true loss of female strength and what it means to really be a woman. Masculinity permeates all forms of the modern woman. Most women express rigidity, extreme self control, wanting to control things/those around them, reside in their logical mind, and may live a regimented lifestyle. These aren’t inherently bad or negative traits, but when used in excess the feminine energy becomes out of balance and with that we see a loss in the sacred physiology of a woman.
The plight of the modern woman. It may be finding, restoring, and respecting their physiology within the newfound freedom. Our ancestors, not too long ago, fought to make space for women’s voices. We now have a voice with our vote, in academia, in corporate America, in government. By no means are we always welcomed into these spaces, we’re ALLOWED in them. We can further cultivate our newfound freedoms, but can we also remember to respect ourselves as women?
