Times Are Changing!
Let's face it—being a woman isn't always easy. It can come with a long list of supposed rules and expectations. Smile and nod. Don't have strong opinions. For generations, these expectations shaped how women could behave. In our contemporary society, modern women are throwing out the old rulebook and redefining what it means to be a woman.
1. Waiting for a Man to Make the First Move
A woman used to have to wait for a man to decide to court her, but nowadays, women are taking their dating life into their own hands. Apps like Bumble flip traditional gender roles and allow women to initiate the conversation.
2. Staying Silent to Be "Ladylike"
Silence used to be considered a feminine virtue, but contemporary women are pushing back and voicing their opinions. Being confident and outspoken is no longer considered off-putting but strong and independent behavior.
3. Prioritizing Marriage Above All Else
Getting married was once the ultimate goal, but more and more contemporary women are choosing to put marriage on the backburner and focus on themselves. Many are opting to marry later in life or not at all, choosing instead to prioritize their careers, education, and to travel.
4. Letting Others Define Their Worth
Once upon a time, women's self-worth was determined by how good of a mother, wife, and hostess she was. Nowadays, women are taking back the narrative and choosing to define themselves on their own terms by their own multifaceted talents.
5. Aspiring Only to Be a Homemaker
There's nothing wrong with being a stay-at-home mom, but there was a period in history when that was about all a woman could do. Nowadays, women are CEOs, artists, scientists, athletes—and mothers, if they so choose.
6. Suppressing Ambition to Seem More "Approachable"
Being called difficult was once a stinging insult rather than a magnetic personality trait, but these days, female ambition is publicly celebrated. Women are not only running their own businesses but winning elections and breaking records across industries.
7. Following Beauty Standards Without Question
Following safe and established trends used to be the name of the game, but modern women are redefining beauty and fashion trends by what suits their unique personality. Movements that emphasize going without makeup or letting hair go grey are gaining ground.
8. Not Having Kids (or Not Wanting To)
First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a baby in the baby carriage. This used to be the formula for most relationships, but modern women are increasingly opting not to have children and to focus on other fulfilling aspects of their life.
9. Letting Men Handle All the Finances
There was a time not too long ago when balancing the checkbook was the man's job. These days, women are building their own wealth and managing their own stock portfolios.
10. Avoiding "Male" Careers
For decades, nurses were women and doctors were men. That whole paradigm is shifting, as women are choosing to enter trades, tech, STEM, and other roles that were once typically the domain of men.
11. Keeping Quiet About Desire
Gone are the days of blushing and changing the subject. Today's women are bold and turning up the volume on topics that used to be considered taboo.
12. Trying to Be Perfect at Everything
Spoiler alert: being perfect is exhausting and there's no such thing as flawless. Modern women are embracing their imperfections because life is just too short to fuss about the small stuff.
13. Sticking to Traditional Hobbies
We've moved past the days when knitting and gardening were the extent of a woman's hobbies. From lifting weights to woodworking, the only guiding trend is being unapologetically yourself.
14. Believing They Have to "Do It All"
The myth of the superwoman who can do it all alone is being swapped for boundaries, delegation, and mental health days. Contemporary women have learned that it's okay to ask for help, and to occasionally exchange the cape for comfy pajamas.
15. Pretending Not to Be Intelligent
The era of downplaying intelligence has been replaced by flaunting brainpower. Modern women are crushing it in boardrooms and wearing their academic credentials like a badge of honor.
16. Letting Age Define Their Value
Middle-aged women are reclaiming their worth, and the narrative is shifting from hiding age to embracing it. After all, life doesn't end at 40, it evolves.
17. Being Ashamed of Mental Health Struggles
Therapy has become as normalized as a daily cup of coffee, and modern women are acknowledging their vulnerability on the path to self-improvement. Being open and honest about their deepest struggles is seen as a strength rather than a weakness.
Priscilla Du Preez 🇨🇦 on Unsplash
18. Keeping Female Friendships Secondary
For a long time, women were expected to prioritize romantic relationships above all else, and the thought of a sisterhood of female friends wasn't top of the priority list. Nowadays, having a robust female support network is foundational, not optional.
19. Apologizing for Everything
Saying sorry used to almost be an involuntary response, but women are done taking responsibility for every little thing that goes wrong. Today's contemporary woman doesn't sweat the small stuff and embraces a more honest kind of accountability.
20. Staying in Unfulfilling Relationships
There was once a time when leaving a soured marriage was not only frowned upon, but legally and socially impossible. These days, women are choosing to walk away when a relationship ceases to be fulfilling or healthy.
