Women voices: What it means to be a woman in this day and age

Defining what being a woman in this day and age varies depending on the woman in question. With a broad set of experiences and personalities, there is no one staple definition of what womanhood is.

And despite its vastness, only women can give meaning to it. Because only a woman knows what a woman is.

That's why we asked a few women to share with us what it means to be a woman. Here's what the Filipinas of today have to say, men take note.

“I think being a woman today means to reclaim our identity, our womanhood. From the very beginning, we've been bogged down by traditional structures and expectations of femininity, biological identity, and gender roles. There was so much unlearning and relearning on our part. But, after all that, we realized how so many aspects of ourselves can make up a female identity that is simply ours and no one else can refute. It's both the most complex thing in existence while also being incredibly simple in that anyone that identifies, presents, and feels as a woman… is a woman.” ⁃ Marielle, 22

“For me, being a woman is being powerful. Nothing is more brave and unapologetically badass than existing as a woman in a society. To the point that anything a woman does scares the patriarchy. We can do everything we set our minds to because we are capable people that has been gaslit for decades. Being a woman is understanding that there is a lot of work to do and it won't be easy. We as women need to keep being unapologetically ourselves and continue educating people.” - Angel, 23

“Being a woman, for me, means living every day as your true unapologetic self. I think women have been preconditioned to apologize for every little thing -- being too feminine, too masculine, too emotional, too “rebellious” of the societal expectations placed on us-- but we've been learning to break that habit. Living your true self may mean not necessarily fitting into tiny boxes with labels! So a woman, in her/their truest self, is whatever she chooses to be.” - Inna, 26

“I think what it means to be a woman is to be human. To be kind to others, to treat others with respect, to uplift and empower those in need, but also to be able to stand up for yourself. A woman this day and age should be able to do what she wants, be what she wants, react the way she wants, etc. without having to think about what other people would think of her and how other people would react. She should be able to be who she is without the fear on the back of her mind that she would get unwanted attention and be criticized for being a human being.” - Martha, 24

“Thinking about what it means to be a woman, makes me realize that it's something I've never really had to sit down and think about at all. To put it simply, everything I've experienced, felt, and learned, I've done it all as a woman. I see the world the way I do, because I'm a woman. I live the way I do and protect myself the way I do, because I'm a woman. I think being a woman is as simple as identifying as one, living as one, and suffering as one.” - Gab, 22

“Being a woman in the modern times is to continuously take up space wherever you go. Enjoying conventional and unconventional things. Exploring and excelling in male-dominated spaces. Living life and embracing all of our complexities. In doing so, you may ruffle a lot of feathers, make people mad, get hurt real bad. But that's the female experience--going against all odds, pushing through and proving that we can do it.” - Kai, 23

And that's what it truly means to be a woman.

Meanwhile, check out these empowered female celebrities who promote body positivity.