Ain't I a Woman?

As of late, I have been pondering a lot about my role in this world as a woman. I have been trying to be a better woman...the kind of woman that when people think of me, they think of a strong female. Not a girly girl, cause that's not what I am and I never will be. But a woman who pulled her weight, who thought for herself, who worked as hard as she could on everything she took up, who was full of patience and compassion, and who was willing to give to anyone she found in need. To me, this is real womanhood.

While I have been working on these attributes that I want to acquire, I have noticed one major hang up. The more I try to exemplify this extraordinary woman I want to be, the less guys want to be around me. I have been taught to believe that men like women who are feminine. So this leads me to the conclusion that men and I have a very different definition of femininity.

This is understandable because of the currently degrading concept of gender roles, and the skewed idea of feminism. But my personal struggle has inspired me to write my own version of Sojourner Truth's wonderful "Ain't I a Woman?" speech (please review the history of this beautiful speech here.)

That man over there

Says that women need to be coupled to a man,

And enjoy being doted on, And receive

                                                                        flowers

for any occasion, wherever.

No man is coupled to me,

 And I'm not adored or respected,
                   And I don't receive any

 flowers.

And ain't I a woman?

Look at me.

Look at my arm.

                                I have trained,                       And served,

And taught myself how to live in this 

world,

And no man could break me, ever! 

                                                     Ain't I a woman?

I can work as much And think as hard as a man

—If they would let me—

And bear the stress as well.

And ain't I a woman?

I have borne no  

children,

Despite the desire to be a mother who will actually care for them,

And when I cried out,

In my barren grief,

None but

Jesus

heard me. 

    And 

        ain't  

               I 

                    a

      

woman?