How To Be Your Own "Super" Woman

   

     Typically when the world views women, they view them as the inferior race. Well I am here to tell you, THAT IS NOT TRUE. While I have only been on this beautiful earth for 17 short years, I have already experienced a lot of prejudice when it comes to being a girl. While most of it flows out of the mouths of teenage boys like a river, the world is full of it and I'm sick of it!
     Throughout my life I have always been taught to be my own person; never follow always lead. While that was drilled into my head, I never really had a chance when it comes to being a "weak" woman. My mom and her mom alike are both independent, strong willed women who stand for what they believe in and don't back down. That being said, my father and my grandfather respect that and urge me to follow in their footsteps..which I willingly did. So throughout my life so far, I do what I want and what makes me happy, NOT what makes me popular. I am in ROTC, I am a state weightlifting champion, and I have played every sport imaginable while still looking and acting like a woman. Sure, I have struggled with self confidence and image but a quick pep talk from mom and I was ready to go. So I am here to tell you, you can be a strong, BEAUTIFUL, independent woman and still be feminine and ladylike.

The Inferiority Complex

     Growing up girls are taught a "meaning of life" mindset of finding a husband, getting married, having children, and being a stay at home trophy wife. This ideal is plastered all over pop culture in TV shows and movies portraying the husband as the main bread-winner who comes home to a clean house and a cooked meal from his perfect and beautiful wife. While it is my personal belief that the man is the bread-winner, there is no way women should have to sit at home and serve their husband like some kind of slave! 

     This idea of "inferiority" is somehow drilled into teenage boys minds that women are lesser than they are. While the recent "make me a sandwich" phrase certainly gets my blood boiling, it is unfortunately only the tip of the iceberg known as "the decline of women's self worth". Well, that's my name for it anyway.

     The problem I so often see around me is that boys constantly talk about how they hate needy girls and overly-attached women when in fact THEY made girls this way. When women constantly hear that we should "be in the kitchen" or whatever other sexist jokes that seem to amuse teenage boys, girls start to think "hey, boys like submissive women". This leads to the overly-attached, emotional girlfriend you all "love to hate". So here is the deal, women, take your stand. Be an independent STRONG woman and stick it to all those boys with the "inferiority complex" mind and be your own "Super Woman" :)

How To Be Your Own "Super" Woman

     One reason I love comics is because, woman are portrayed as strong woman! Not some stupid sidekick who does what she is told, but because if Superwoman wants to save America then gosh-darn it she is gonna save America with her own two hands!

The Social Aspect
“That's always seemed so ridiculous to me, that people want to be around someone because they're pretty. It's like picking your breakfast cereals based on color instead of taste.”
John Green

     One of the first steps to becoming your OWN woman is to shake off that "I want to be popular" mindset and change it to "I want to be happy". I experienced this in middle school, wanting to be popular. It sucks, trust me. I was constantly fighting myself and my friends trying to be someone I wasn't and even though I was "popular" I was also miserable. Once I started finding out what I liked, and not what someone else liked for me, I changed completely. If you want to be on the wrestling team, DO IT. If you want to be in the drama club, DO IT. My point is, do what YOU want, not what someone else wants.

     When it comes to imagery, a lot of people have "role models" and they tend to be family and celebrities. While I am not a personal fan of women celebrities, mostly because they all fit the stereotypical girl type, I do have a few I would like to share. I won't talk about them, you can research that yourself, but they are all in my opinion strong, independent women.

1. Jennifer Lawerence
2. Emma Stone
3. CoCo Chanel
4. Lauren Conrad

Just to name a few :)

The Relationship Aspect
"If we're going to be with somebody long-term, we want to find the man who loves our strength and wants to make us feel cared for in the ways I have discussed. And for the reasons I've discussed, we're not going to apologize for it."
Lauren Jacobs

     I cannot count the times I have been told "you are so strong and independent" or especially the time I have been told "you intimidate me". While the latter can be quite upsetting at times as it is usually spit from the mouth of a boy..I am quickly reminded that, that is exactly why I am independent and strong. 

     I see girls all around me, dating constantly and finding self worth in relationships. While this concept completely confuses me, it encompasses the minds of (I would say) about 80% of women now-a-days. The idea of needing a man to be happy is a one way ticket FAR away from being an independent woman. You may be thinking, okay this girl is not even a legal adult yet so she has no place to be giving relationship advice, and yes that is in fact true, but if you sit back and observe the people around you..you can learn a lot.
     The most common thing I see is the "I NEED a boyfriend" mindset rather than the "I WANT a boyfriend" mindset. The first begs for "I need a guy to complete me and make me feel good about myself". The latter says "I am fine on my own, but having someone to love and be my best friend doesn't sound like a bad deal". You have to first be happy in yourself before finding happiness with someone else.
     I do have a warning though, if you take the strong independent woman path, you will need to be patient. Every strong willed woman I have ever known doesn't date every guy that comes along, or says "he's the one" just because he's paying attention to them. It takes a special man to respect a strong woman and feel enough confidence in himself to be in a relationship with one. So you might have to wait, but from what I have seen, it is always worth it.
here is a really good article on this subject..check it out :)

Impress Them

"Education never ends, Watson. It is a series of lessons with the greatest for the last"

    Arthur Conan Doyle (Adventures of Sherlock Holmes)

     When I say this, I don't mean show off your new clothes or your body! I mean intelligence. While I have always made good grades in school, I believe my strengths are in other aspects. Every chance I get I am reading, writing, watching TED videos (those are my favorite), reading the news (Huffington Post is my favorite), reading articles on things I am interested, and learning new vocabulary. You have a brain, USE IT! I also like to culture myself. I travel often and always try new things. I am currently taking French, trying to learn as much as possible because I think it would be so cool to be bilingual! Constantly do things that challenge you and learn at least ONE new thing everyday.

All in all, just be yourself. You don't have to stick to the hottest fashion, make your own! That's what CoCo Chanel did! You don't have to impress anyone except yourself.