We Must Recognize
We have been fashioned and formed to think that somehow that other females are our enemy. We glare at each other with eyes of jealousy and judgment, but we never consider that the other female is who we see in the mirror. Somewhere in our child hood we were taught by tradition, society, and culture that our differences are like unto a disease. We have consciously and unconsciously allowed the lies that we have heard infect our ability to come together.
Tradition is something that has been passed down from generational conception to current days and times. Many of our past generations has taught us that some are better than others because of the way that they look. The brighter your are, the thinner you are, and the longer your hair may be then you are the general standard rule for acceptance. Society has taught us that if you are going to climb the ladder, be in leadership, or even think about having a voice you must have a certain image. Then our individual cultures comes along and add the icing to the cake of division. Needless to say, we have transitioned quite a bit as females, but we have not transformed our way of thinking enough. I want you to dig deep and truly consider these questions:
Why do we use our differences against one another?
Why do we judge each other so harshly or Why do we judge each other at all?
Why do we feel the need to compete with one another?
Where did we get the idea that we don't need each other?
What causes us to attempt to eliminate one another?
The way I see it, is that we are all needed. I see it as we have allowed ourselves to believe the lies that were spoken by tradition, society, and our cultures. Every day we intentionally and unintentionally carry out the lies that we have been taught and we pass them down from generation to generation. However, in this lifetime and in this generation we can stop it. We can change our perception, which will change our behaviors towards one another. We can teach our daughters their value and to value other females. Put plain and simple; We can dispel that lies that we have adopted and voice our truths by becoming civil to ourselves and other females.
Female Civility is what is required and relevant.
Prof. Ona C. Miller
