Photo Credit: Teri Lacy
What it means to be a woman changes everyday because we shoulder so much. This isn’t a cry of “woe is me.” It’s an acknowledgment of who we are and what we do on a daily. We are the powerhouses that accomplish feats big and small but told to take the crumbs that are thrown at us as a symbol of gratitude.
What it means to be a woman is sometimes not even getting a chance to be a little girl. The expectations for us to lead, be independent, love, nurture, and provide whatever is missing, can come at a young age. We can tell you what it feels like to be a woman sometimes before we’re even an actual woman. Our life duties are handed to us the minute it’s determined we will be a female human.
What it means to be a woman is also a magical thing because we are always creating. We have the means of giving life and built in intuition that can psychically link us to other human beings, whether that be via blood lines or hypertuned empathy. For all of the trials and tribulation we endure, being a woman means looking out for those who need help when they have none. It also means comforting our sisters and being there for their lowest of lows and highest of highs.
In my life, being a woman has meant loving men who don’t love me. This isn’t something that I look to do but the majority of the men that look like me are merely surviving. Sometimes loving them where they are also means knowing abusive relationships up close. These men are brothers, fathers, husbands, and friends. Quite often, being a woman means pointing out abusive behavior in an effort to have it corrected, at the expense of still not being loved.
In my life, being a woman has meant speaking up even when you know very little to no one would support your awareness. Quite often, fighting for people who wouldn’t do the same yet, doing it anyway because what I'm fighting for is far bigger than self.
In my life, being a woman has been liberating, full of love, enjoyable, and rewarding. It hasn’t made me wish I was born a man. I look at what it means and their journey involves a lot of the same things I experience, just wrapped in a different package. Even for the things men cannot fully relate to from a biological standpoint, I find myself in awe because I DO get to live this difference.
Being a woman is everything you could possibly want & need but at the same time everything you might wish was never present. I have opportunities I would only get BECAUSE I’m a woman so it makes me view the opportunities I don’t get BECAUSE I’m a woman, differently. It makes me work harder so that my world view expands wider than what I’m told is just for me.
Being a woman is embracing everything about who I am. To know exactly what that is, you’d have to... be a woman.
Artist Advocate. Creative Consultant. Director of Dopeness. Freedom Fighter. Renaissance Rib. Saintly Synner. Truth Teller. Unboxed Unicorn and Weaver of Words.
All of this (and more) makes me Syn.
To keep up with Syn, she can be found using her 280 characters to create threads of thought on Twitter and being the paparazzi to her daughter on Instagram.
CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS/PITCHES:
April is Stress Awareness Month and we want to hear your best ways of dealing with stressors, any precautionary tales of how they can affect the body, what your self-care looks like, and/or anything else related to acknowledging that stress is real and necessary to manage.
April is ALSO Sexual Assault Awareness Month. In light of recent events with sexual assault in the entertainment workplace being brought to the forefront and fully addressed, we want to address this issue taking place everywhere. We're accepting personal narratives, essays, poetry, prose, and any other type of writing that gets your point across about sexual assault. Because of the nature of the topic, we are willing to publish Anonymous pieces. We are accepting submissions & pitches from EVERYONE. We mention this because men and non-binary people have just as poignant voices and stories to tell about their own experiences but sometimes shy away from sharing due to toxic perceptions that hand out shame versus compassion. Our platform is a safe space for everyone so feel free to submit/pitch.
Please send all pitches/submissions to submissions@theextraordinarynegroes.com.
We look forward to hearing from you!
