Background: When I was in college, I took a course on women's studies that ended up being one of the most impactful, life-changing classes of my life... I wrote down some of my reflections immediately after the course, and have gradually added more observations as I've grown and learned over the years.

Women's Studies Reflections

1) The ways in which we observe, perceive, and exhibit gender is largely shaped, or socially constructed, by the preferences & norms of the societies and cultures we live in. Every perpetuation of these societal conventions serves to uphold them, from the way we speak (eg. women tend to be apologetic and hesitant, while men tend to be matter-of-fact and declarative, etc) to the way we publicly present ourselves. Every time we abide by socially-constructed norms without critically examining them & evaluating their validity, what are we saying to ourselves, to the world? Who would we be if centuries of the deeply ingrained social biases of the human race were stripped away? How much of the way we express gender is an innate part of our Divinely-constructed nature, and how much of it is socially constructed and influenced?

2) There is never any need to be meek or vacillating, nor is there any need to be aggressive and overcompensating. Desires to unquestionably agree with the other sex- or to overpower and defy it- both stem from illusions of weakness. In the eyes of God, all souls are judged equally, regardless of gender. There is no need to apologize for being a shy woman, or to apologize for being an outspoken one. What we must be mindful of is the origin of our inorganic character traits. We must question that within ourselves which exists because society willed it to be so. Do I push myself to be loud because I've been conditioned to believe that silence is weakness? Are there times when I force myself to apologize and nurture when what I should be doing is questioning and challenging?

3) In a world of over 6 billion human beings, how much damage are we doing to the collective potential of humankind when we marginalize and limit the active participation of nearly 50% of the global population? How much greater could humanity be if women were given greater encouragement & opportunity to flourish and actualize themselves?

4) My worth as a woman should not be derived from having succeeded in love or any extraneous/material attainments. I am intrinsically worthy, regardless of my marital, professional, or social success. As a sacred creation of God, my worth comes from Him. I am beautiful because He made me beautiful, not because I am perceived as such. I am worthy because He made me worthy, not because others regard me as worthy.

5) My congruence with society is a negligible detail and should never override my personal authenticity or become the basis of my self-worth. What is most modern is not necessarily what is most correct or most beneficial. Maintaining the ability to objectively discern in this regard is vitally important. I must always ensure that my perspectives are as decolonized and rooted in my chosen spiritual framework as possible.

6) As an ideology and movement, contemporary feminism feels inadequate to me because I feel compelled to support the struggles of all human beings, not just those I share a gender with or feel personally connected to. Anti-imperialist, anti-capitalist intersectionality is essential to the development of a healthy, just human community; no meaningful progress can ever be made without it because all oppression is fundamentally linked, and "none are free until all are free". While major feminist thinkers of the past (especially Black & indigenous feminists) often incorporated anti-imperialist ideologies into their advocacy, modern-day, mainstream Western feminism does not adequately incorporate such intersectionality. Western feminism today is not inherently anti-imperialist, nor does it widely acknowledge the role of capitalism in incentivizing, perpetuating, and institutionalizing systemic oppression. On the contrary, contemporary feminism is often used to reinforce capitalistic and imperialistic frameworks (eg: "girlboss culture", the glorification of exploitative sex work, etc).

7) Many aspects of contemporary Western feminism are extremely damaging to women- especially the conflation of hypersexuality with female empowerment. A woman's willingness to be overtly, publicly sexual should not be equated with her degree of liberation or empowerment, because this reduces a woman's worth to a singular dimension of her being. Sexuality is merely one powerful, beautiful facet of a woman's multi-faceted existence. In over-emphasizing this dimension of a woman's life, Western feminism ends up repackaging and promoting the objectification of women by encouraging women to objectify themselves, instead of upholding the essential truth that women are complex, multi-dimensional beings who deserve to be glorified & respected for everything they inherently are, not just what they can offer sexually or superficially.

8) The perception that men are natural enemies of women or that men are inherently evil, harmful, abusive, or toxic is an extremely damaging mindset, just as misogynistic views that imply that women are inherently devious, inferior, evil, or wicked are profoundly damaging and unjust. Instead of pushing the sexes to be at war with each other or encouraging them to seek absolute dominance over the other, what the world needs is for men & women to work in harmony with each other & benefit from each others' natural, intrinsic strengths.

9) In the modern world, qualities that are archetypally feminine are often equated with weakness and inferiority, and qualities that are seen as archetypally masculine are equated with superiority and strength. In reality, God has placed equal strength and value in both masculine and feminine qualities; both are equally necessary for the realization of humanity's full potential. Women don't need to aspire to adopt masculine qualities in order to be strong, and men don't need to aspire to adopt feminine qualities in order to be kind (note: this isn't intended as a statement against trans/non-binary individuals). When all human beings are given free reign to reconnect with their intrinsic energies, the Divine balance of masculine and feminine energies (Jalaal and Jamaal) will be reflected in the world, and greater harmony and peace will result.

10) The marginalization, mistreatment, and degradation of women still remains one of the most significant problems facing humankind. Women are still overwhelmingly victims of societal evils such as domestic violence, human trafficking, rape, sexual assault, etc. A world in which women are treated with greater compassion, justice, & equality would result in a better, safer, more pleasurable world for both men and women. The issue of female oppression is one that should be a matter of concern to all human beings. Until this problem is rectified, the world will never know true peace.

x r