Written By: Emily Hutson
Fashion Contributor
The standards placed upon today’s women are not inclusive of every women. If anything, they are unrealistic and arbitrary. These standards are invasive and we can find them everywhere in our lives. They affect how we view, dress, and carry ourselves.
Often, society as a whole denies the existence of these standards. But, they are real; they influence our every decision. We see this happening in our social media, and compare ourselves to every woman we see. We see women who fit this image produced from impossible standards, and we become determined to look like they do. Women should fight against this at every turn.
These standards are part of the very reason I started my blog. I knew for years I had been influenced some way or another by all the things I’d seen throughout my social feeds. I wanted to have a space where I could have a positive impact. Instead of trying to tell them what they could fix, it has become my goal to encourage women from all walks of life.
The biggest source of help could be a very healthy and appropriately expressed dose of feminism. This does not include protests for the right of abortion. It should mean the encouragement and empowerment of women by other women. We should not do this out of obligation, but out of the desire to see other women grow and succeed.
As women of God, we should also remember that we are made in God’s image. We were created with our flaws and abilities for a reason. We must learn to trust in the fact that we are children of God and that is sufficient. We are created in His image, not the image the world paints for us. John 5:14 says, “And this is the confidence we have in him, that, if we ask anything according to his will, he will hear us.” God can heal the way we see ourselves; all we need to do is ask.
It never ceases to amaze me how people blindly follow these standards without questioning their origin. People holding steadfast to these beliefs will only encourage them to continue in them or open the door for new rules to follow. We should empower one another without the fear of having too much confidence. We should strive towards healthy competition instead of tearing another woman down to make ourselves seem higher. The basis of feminism today should be to encourage and not to tear apart. We should not use our weaknesses against each other in a war that we should not be fighting in the first place.
I reject the idea that all women are the same, and they should not be subjected the unrealistic and unattainable standards of society. I frown upon the foundation of rules that are inclusive and barbaric.These standards drive out the need for creativity and individuality that our world desperately needs. I believe in feminism in its simplest form. The feminism that empowers all women to be all they can be without the input of society.
Emily Hutson is a freshman English major at Bryan College. She deeply enjoys long strolls through Forever 21 and writing on her fashion blog. You can also find her reading in a corner somewhere or on Twitter or Instagram.
