The Art Of Femininity by Amber

The Art Of Femininity by Amber - July 2025 Scholarship Essay

Growing up, I internalized the message that to be a woman was to be weak. The world often told me, sometimes subtly, sometimes loudly, that femininity is fragile, irrational, and inferior. I saw how women were dismissed and objectified, and I wanted no part of that. So, I hardened my shell. I began to dress in baggy clothes, to speak more rudely and with a lower voice. I avoided dresses, makeup, or anything that might suggest softness. I believed if I leaned into “womanhood,” that I would be perceived as weak, and worse, that I might become weak. If I could go back and give one piece of advice to my younger self, it would be simple: don’t be afraid of being a woman. Little me thought I had to act tough, to hide my emotions, to distance myself from anything that might be perceived as vulnerable. I even “hated” the color pink. I thought true strength meant I had to be unfeeling and cold. I was so wrong. What I didn’t understand then is that being a woman, however one chooses to define that, is beautiful. It is not something to shrink away from, but something to mold into. Femininity is resilience, creativity, and compassion. It is the ability to hold complexity, to nurture, to lead, to empathize, and none of those things are anywhere close to weak. To me now, being a woman is not about conforming to a stereotype or checking off some list of traits. It is not about being skinny and attractive, but about the freedom to exist fully and truthfully in my own skin. It is about rejecting the idea that strength only looks one way. It is about reclaiming power from those that tried to define what I could or could not be. I am now more confident than I have ever been, with short hair and tight clothes. When people see me pass them in the streets they are often confused, but that’s ok. My goal is not to be easy for them to digest, because I am, and always will be so much more than that.