Feminism and beauty

Recently, to prepare for Tet, in addition to the offerings and ham, sausage, cakes, spring rolls, flowers, fruits..., we cannot forget to buy new clothes. While I am wearing ao dai, short skirts, coats..., my sister-in-law - a capable woman in the eyes of the whole family, buys exactly 2 sets of clothes to wear at home. "Tet is mainly spent in the kitchen and entertaining guests at home, why be pretty, just dress comfortably" - she said.

My sister-in-law is not a special case. Many women around me think the same way. They go to the kitchen, to the living room, to the bedroom, or to the market to buy vegetables, to pick up their children from school... all with just one pair of sweatpants. If it could talk, I would definitely think that sweatpants would react violently, because it was "exploited" too much. But because it cannot talk, I reluctantly have to become a gossip, discussing everything from "sweatpants culture" to feminism and beauty rights.

Feminism is so familiar! In newspapers, social networks, or on the lips, analysis and commentary, there are so many stories surrounding the issue of gender equality, the story of "heroes are not men"... Many people have spoken out to encourage women to rise up, escape the scene of working day and night with named and unnamed roles, step out of the stereotype of women in the kitchen to realize many great, grand dreams...

I support feminism (of course!), but I approach it from a different perspective. I don’t think feminism means abandoning traditional roles to don the broad cloak of modern titles: successful businesswoman, famous CEO, woman of the era… Many people think that feminism is the right… to do men’s work. So why differentiate between men and women? What do we need women for?

Feminism, from a personal perspective, is the right to be yourself. To be yourself, a woman - with enough inner strength that is strong yet flexible, spirited yet delicate, decisive yet thoughtful... You can be both a successful woman in your studies and work, and a mother, a good wife, filial, good at raising children and taking care of your husband, if you want. You can also choose to step back and become a full-time woman with your family, leaving the big world to the shoulders of men, if you want. Or perhaps, you have a strong will to progress, only like and are suitable for being active in work, have enough income to hire a housekeeper, if you want. To be yourself - a woman, holding in your hands the right to choose a way of life that suits you, knowing your own value, that is feminism. Feminism is not about trying to be strong, to be unruly, feminism - on the contrary, is about returning to the depths within oneself, evoking and honoring the enduring, profound, and ultimate values ​​of feminine nature!

I often imagine and fear the image of a feminist holding a scepter (!), wearing a crown, wearing a vest and leather shoes, chin upturned as if to prove to the world that women are number one! But I see around me and am even more allergic to the image of women wearing spandex anywhere and anytime, messy hair, slippers, running around like my sister-in-law.

Fear and allergy, because besides feminism, women have forgotten the concept of beauty rights - the right to be beautiful, to be beautiful for themselves, to be beautiful for society. My sister only bought 2 sets of clothes for Tet, but bought enough for her husband and children to wear 3 new outfits from head to toe. My sister, unconsciously, put down her beauty rights, took it away, turned her back on it.

Is beauty important? Very important, even more important than feminism. Wear a neat outfit that suits the conditions and circumstances, put on makeup to make every feature stand out, if you have perfume, spray it, if you don’t, take a bath and smell clean so that the scent of a woman’s skin becomes a unique scent, and then you see, that beauty has a miraculous ability and power, overwhelming the feminism that tries to carry it. That’s why our ancestors have concluded since ancient times: Heroes find it difficult to overcome the beauty barrier…

Feminism and beauty are seemingly unrelated, but they are incredibly related. When women put beauty above and before, then feminism will naturally go hand in hand. When women know how to clean and beautify themselves from the inside, intelligence and appearance, holding their heads high and proudly showing off their beauty, they will naturally know where to place their self-worth. Women, be strong and decisive but also weak and coquettish when needed.