08/03/2026
In a society built on linear productivity and the "always-on-availabilityโ mindset, the natural cycles of women... ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐
๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ are often viewed as weaknesses. The system was designed to keep us running, to always keep up with the fast-paced world. It is as if we would be left behind if we tend to pause and breathe for a while. They told us the world was a straight line and that there should be a constant output. It taught us to view the demands that our bodies require as inconveniences, to disregard our cycles, tame our emotions, and treat rest like an act of selfishness. The structures that have long been built often thrive on competition that has conditioned us to view one another as rivals. It wanted us to look at the woman next to us as someone to outrun.
Recently, it has been saddening to see how division among women is rampant on social media. We see constant, detailed criticism that breaks us apart instead of bringing us together. This long-standing pressure made us silent competitors, staying distant from one another. Adding to this weight are the unsolicited commentaries of men in high-ranking positions, words that reduce women to objects thereby adding fuel the fire. When those in power use their platforms to join in the dissection of women's choices and lives, it reinforces the very structures we are trying to dismantle. Such remarks are not just opinions; they are a public continuation of the "illusive gaze" that seeks to control and judge rather than respect and understand.
As we celebrate the ๐ฐ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐พ๐๐๐๐'๐ ๐ด๐๐๐๐, may we be reminded that stepping out of the race does not equate to failure, but an act of honoring oneself. Slowing down, being in-tune with your cycles, is a bold choice.
Fellow women, we are in the stage of... ๐น๐ฌ๐ด๐ฌ๐ด๐ฉ๐ฌ๐น๐ฐ๐ต๐ฎ.
Moving from "performing" to simply "being" is more important now more than ever. May we reclaim the right to be โmessyโ by the world's standards, because we now know that a woman in touch with her own rhythm is woman who is impossible to control. We arenโt standing in line to be picked, we are standing in a circle to be heard. This can also pave way for us to reject the misogynistic notion that a womanโs value is tied to her consistency or her utility to others.
May we finally be awakened to the truth-- that our fellow women are not our competitors, as we are all part of a sacred whole. This means seeing other women not as objects to be measured against, but as mirrors of a shared journey. May we seek connection over competition so that, together, we can finally create a sanctuary where we are safe from the notion that seeks to rank us by how we look or what we can do. In this space, the Dayang Mara, we value a woman for who she is... ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐, ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐
๐๐, ๐๐๐
๐๐๐ ๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ she can truly offer to the world. ๐โจ
Written by: Helen Louise Ramos
