What Does Being a Woman Mean to You?

Written by Leigh Ann Popik.

Being a woman today can be extremely confusing. We’re living in a time when the word alone carries a million different meanings. For my capstone project, I set out to find what being a woman means to those in our community.


As women, we often feel pressure from society to behave a certain way. This pressure is somewhat remarkable, as it’s something we all experience. It bands us together and provides us with an unbreakable bond. Yes, every woman differs tremendously from one another, yet we all somehow face many of the same problems no matter where we live or how we spend our time.

Our power moving forward lies in how we choose to fight against this pressure. In order to rise to the top, we’re told we need to act more “masculine” in order to obtain the respect we deserve. But how are things going to change if we continue to fall into these societal traps? How are things going to change if we change ourselves to fit the mold of what already exists?

Even though it may feel like it, there are no rules when it comes to womanhood. The key lies in embracing who we are and what makes us unique, whatever that may be. Nothing makes us more powerful than being our true selves and sharing it unapologetically with the world.

What does being a woman mean to you?