At first, I thought it was quite tricky to answer such a simple yet complex question. — how could one actually give an answer to such a query? Isn’t it subjective? Some might wonder.
Indeed this opinion may be subjective, just like to any other gender, considering everyone experiences things differently, they are bought up differently, not to mention a sibling’s personality can also affect theirs, and also daily habits. But, after hours of thinking and staring at a blank page, I believe now there is a definite notion of how being a woman feels like — something that was birthed due to the social constructs, cultures, and beliefs of a woman itself. And I have come up with an answer:
menstrual care products
All women will agree with me when I say that being a woman is difficult. There are certain things that only women experience, some are a result of a choice they made, and some are more natural. The “choice” one is pretty simple, being a mother and giving birth to a soul, bringing life to this world. Although everyone says it’s both parents’ job to take care of their children, to be the one who gives birth has its own weight — it bears many risks that people are unaware of. Not to mention the stigma surrounding women who choose to be child-free. Most people think it is a woman’s nature to give birth to a child. When, in fact, it is simply a choice a woman can make on their own accord. Now on to the instance of the “natural” aspects that women experience, one is bleeding monthly — experiencing menstrual cycles. And it’s not the worst part, to see blood every time we go to the bathroom any other day — it’s the symptoms that come with it, from headaches, mood swings, hormonal acne, or feeling exhausted most of the time. Those are things that we can’t control, though we can somehow manage to minimize our reactions to them. Giving birth while accounting for many risks and complications, and bleeding every month while simultaneously experiencing painful cramps, thus I conclude that being a woman is indeed difficult.
Women in theJakarta Legal Aid Institute Training (Karya Latihan Bantuan Hukum) 2022
It seems dark that when I see myself talk about those experiences, — I’m aware. To lighten up the mood, it is crucially important to highlight the second point of what being a woman feels like, which is exhilarating. Albeit, sometimes it has its own unfortunate obstacles, worsened by the intersections, such as religion, ethnicity, ability, and many more. As I’ve mentioned earlier, being a woman is something I would not trade for anything. We are influential beings; we are able to combine our emotions, empathy, knowledge, and opinions into one, producing something that could have an impact not only on ourselves, but also on others.
Nevertheless, even if there is a heartbreaking and tragic reality that we must go through as a woman, we must all be able to stand on our own two feet. We must awaken our minds, making it be more conscious, support each other, support women, and create a strong community. Believe me, nothing is more beautiful than a community filled with powerful, compassionate, and competent individuals.
So, yes, as I have acknowledged from the beginning, to be a woman is difficult, yet also exhilarating. Therefore, despite the vast diversity of issues women encounter, I am beyond proud to be part of this collective force.
