Ideals of Womanhood

Since time immemorial, womanhood, has been a subject of intense interest and debate. From both the women themselves, and men.

Across cultures and eras, there’s an ideal womanhood that has been pursued, yet never reached.

One thing that’s worth noting is that the quest to get in shape is NOT a modern drive. It has ancient roots. Let’s have a cursory glance into the past.

Corset and the Woman

Today, corsets are flexible, tools made from body-friendly materials, making it possible to be worn all day. But corsets have not always been so flexible.

Back in those days, hundreds of years ago, corsets were rugged and stiff. And they were made for the upper class women. Only they had the money and social space to wear corsets.

In those days, these women wore corsets to get the right shape for the pleasure of their husbands. These husbands were not ordinary men. They were emperors, emirs, kings, noble princes, distinguished gentlemen of the king’s court, etc. These were “somebodys”.

And there were disastrous side effects. A lot of these women had their ribs destroyed by the corsets!

Our Time

With this background, we now know that the women of today haven’t probably gone far enough, especially given the fact that getting in shape today is inspired by several noble ideals such as becoming healthier – excess fat in the body can facilitate the onset or worsening of cardio diseases such as hypertension.

The Fuss

So what’s the fuss all about? Where from the aggressive opposition to today’s women’s effort to get in shape?

Well, there are legitimate concerns. In those days, hundreds of years ago, the women didn’t get in shape to flaunt it to the public. Neither did they use their desirable shapes as means of livelihood.

Those women, as indicated already, were honourable “ladies” who had already gained nobility of a sort. Their quest for getting in shape did not destroy the dignity and sanctity of womanhood like we see today.

What now?

Whereas the quest to get in shape shouldn’t be branded as “an unnecessary, worldly” vanity, the women too must learn how to seek their desirables without tainting the image of womanhood.

Source: gh.opera.news