It's amazing the differing experiences young women can have -- l observed my sister feeling much the way you did about yourself and about men, but l did not have much of that at all. As an Evangelical, l felt so squashed and so much like my worth was dependent on good behavior, that none of the rest of that was part of my experience. Once l was divorced and older, in my 40s, and felt freer, l did experience more of that, got quite a lot more attention for my "femaleness", but by then my basic feelings about myself were already formed, for better or worse. l had a lot of interest from men through my 50s as well, truthfully. Now i'm over 60, and don't care at all about men at all. l look in the mirror now and would prefer to look younger, but not because l want to be with a man or want to have that power. More because I'm much more aware of my mortality and how quickly life goes by. Anyway, thank you an interesting read, Maggie!
It is really interesting the variety of influences that shape our experience of youthful femininity. I remember specific books I read, plot lines or interior dialogue on this or on beauty, that really shaped me. In addition Inwas called ugly and ignored by boys for the most part until about 15, and when that change happened, I felt astonished at how differently I was treated when I was the same person, and that sense of beauty or youthful femininity as ‘costume’ or as disguise never left me.
It's amazing the differing experiences young women can have -- l observed my sister feeling much the way you did about yourself and about men, but l did not have much of that at all. As an Evangelical, l felt so squashed and so much like my worth was dependent on good behavior, that none of the rest of that was part of my experience. Once l was divorced and older, in my 40s, and felt freer, l did experience more of that, got quite a lot more attention for my "femaleness", but by then my basic feelings about myself were already formed, for better or worse. l had a lot of interest from men through my 50s as well, truthfully. Now i'm over 60, and don't care at all about men at all. l look in the mirror now and would prefer to look younger, but not because l want to be with a man or want to have that power. More because I'm much more aware of my mortality and how quickly life goes by. Anyway, thank you an interesting read, Maggie!
It is really interesting the variety of influences that shape our experience of youthful femininity. I remember specific books I read, plot lines or interior dialogue on this or on beauty, that really shaped me. In addition Inwas called ugly and ignored by boys for the most part until about 15, and when that change happened, I felt astonished at how differently I was treated when I was the same person, and that sense of beauty or youthful femininity as ‘costume’ or as disguise never left me.
Writing, feeling like this... you will always be seen and loved! What a flood of images! And Marguerite Duras... You are powerful, Maggie!
We are witches together 💫💫
Crying…