Real Women

Yesterday was International Women's Appreciation Day. I suppose the idea behind its conception was to salute--to "appreciate"--the women in our society worthy of such acknowledgment. I can't help but wonder, however, why this idea need be relegated to one specific day. There are countless women among us who deserve our appreciation and, in many cases, gratitude, for all that they contribute to our perspective and understanding, and they deserve this recognition on a consistent and respectful basis. Indeed, I think that the idea of publishing headlines on Facebook in some display of "solidarity" with These Women, many of whom serve only as an abstract construction of womanhood, misses the forest for the trees and, in all reality, contributes nothing to a deeper understanding of their significance. These expressions--the saddest of which are those whose words imply a deeper understanding of Real Women than they have (clearly) yet to experience--are truly the most disappointing.

Now, I have no illusions regarding my own limitations in this exercise--I am a male, after all. But I also feel that my biological restrictions need not preclude me from seeing the beauty in Real Women, from consuming the Truth that accompanies their existence. They are those discussing ideas, concepts that challenge their imagination and further their desire for understanding. They are those confident in their identity--the ones who scoff at the pretentiousness accompanying those that Fake It. They dance to all kinds of music, except for those that aren't music at all. They hold truth and experience, friendship and understanding, as the pillars of their religiosity. They make us better, not because of any power held by their inherent eroticism, but because their disposition is rooted in trust and stability.

These women scream self-assurance! Their decision not to speak ill of others was never really a choice to begin with, but rather a subtle acknowledgment of the impostors clamoring to wear their skin, and the sour taste left in All our mouths as a result of these desperate attempts. They display their beauty most spectacularly in the mornings, when they are devoid of any cosmetic assistance and are left instead with their truest expression. They Love deeply, and if one is lucky enough to have been ensnared in their articulations then he (or she) will forever be altered in their understanding of Real Women. This is one of their greatest Gifts, after all. They make you forget what was ever appealing about girls.