What Does Womanhood Mean to Me?

What does womanhood mean to me? I’ve never been asked this question by anyone. Come to think of it, I’ve never even asked myself this question. In this modern day and age, it is quite difficult to establish a concrete definition for womanhood. Is it the state of being a woman, the characteristics or qualities of a woman, or women considered as a group? From these questions, more questions arrive, such as at what age does womanhood begin? Does the definition change if you are a gay or bisexual woman? There are many answers to these questions, which are all correct ones, but the most important answer that houses all of these answers is as followed: Womanhood is you.

It makes me upset when someone tries to tell me a woman’s role in today’s society. Through my eyes, I see many types of woman; White women, Black women, Hispanic women, thin women, shy women, pretty women, short women… should I continue? One answer to “what is womanhood” does not rule over another. So, if you ask me, personally, “what does womanhood mean to me,” then this is what it is. Literally, this is what it is. I am womanhood. I am a twenty-four year old African-American woman who has just graduated college and is now in pursuit of her career dream. I have brown eyes, brown hair, and have two noticeable beauty marks on the left side of my face. I have two other beauty marks on my body that I paid for (tattoos, and I am working on getting a third). I am happy being me and I hope the best for me. I also hope you see what I am, but if not, no worries. Now I understand why I’ve never even asked myself what the definition of womanhood is. I don’t feel the need to define myself.