The world of progress, insane speeds, frantic pace of life clearly favors really strong-willed, decisive, bright people. An emancipated woman is one who is completely in tune with the present, so complex and constantly changing. She is able to curb this age, so loving responsibility, bold deeds, independent conclusions, create a happy oneself and others. This is real freedom. Any person needs to be able to build his own destiny and not depend on someone else's actions, opinions, moods. The time has come for everyone to take back responsibility for their own well-being, to find personal freedom, to make their life truly successful.
Meaning of the word
It is worth first revealing the term "emancipation". What did it mean before? The word can literally be translated as "getting rid of someone's guardianship, recognition of legal capacity, providing an opportunity to defend one's interests."
Now this term has a very strong association with feminism - the movement for women's rights. It has acquired severalpolitical overtones and began to mean "liberation", gaining truly equal opportunities with a man, when the ladies began to fight for their equality.
A bit of sadness
In past centuries, a woman was just a serving attachment to a man. She could not manage the finances herself, even if she had them. Opening, for example, a bank account could only be in the name of a brother, father, husband. Relatives chose the partners for the girl's marriage. Often, future spouses saw each other only shortly before the wedding, there was no need to dream of any love here. There was no real education for women, as well as normal jobs. All activities were reduced to housekeeping, needlework, raising children, and behavior was very limited by strict moral standards.
Modern woman can hardly even imagine this. The inability to take place as a person, endless childbirth, exhausting monotonous work, dependence on men, wearing uncomfortable clothes that disfigure internal organs - this is an incomplete list of horrors that the ladies chained to the hearth had to endure.
Positive changes
The biggest project in the history of cultural modernization is emancipation. What has changed in the present? Forced marriages were made illegal and women were given many rights. Unfortunately, ladies are still considered the “weaker sex” and “keepers of the hearth”, their appearance is subject to excessively high and even fantastic demands, merit at work is not noticed, access to some speci altiesclosed. Intergender relations are not perfect, now there are still remnants of the past "dark" time, in order to eliminate them, society as a whole needs to be changed.
The present provides great opportunities. A strong independent woman, even in today's cruel conditions, is able to fully reveal her talents and create a happy life. Finding freedom is a wonderful gift from feminists, who were able to change the unfair situation of women in many ways and achieved the removal of a huge number of shackles.
How the changes started
1791 is famous for the release of the "Declaration of the Rights of Women", the main principles of which were equality, resistance to oppression, freedom to express their opinions and thoughts, recognition of a woman as an independent person who has the right to be actively present in society, to speak openly about her problems and demand their decision.
Olympia de Gouges, the author, predetermined the direction of the further struggle, which was carried out by the forces of the first activists of the movement, incredibly brave representatives of the people. They managed to draw attention to themselves and make others discuss the issues raised and act. The movement gradually spread in the West, and then throughout the world.
Features of emancipation in Russia
Such events undoubtedly resonated in Russia, which accepted the ideas of individual freedom and equality, but the ideas of feminism were alien to its traditional culture based on male dominance in the family and a strict gender hierarchy in society. family relationswere placed above the interests of an individual, which was only an insignificant component of a vast branched clan. An emancipated woman is a daring challenge to the patriarchal system, which does not provide for self-realization and development of its individual components.
After the revolution, the rights of citizens of both sexes were legally equalized, formally everyone became full-fledged participants in society, but this did little to improve the lives of women. Now the workers and peasants were waiting for the “second shift” after the working day - all the cares for the children and the house were the responsibility of the spouse. In the post-Soviet period, the situation worsened, and now the working mother has also lost state support.
Echoes of distant tragedies
The image of a modern woman is a heroine who chooses her own destiny, but the history of Russia of the last century has its influence on the mass consciousness. The sudden acquisition of freedom, hunger, labor exploits, death all around, caring for children in such conditions. It was really hard. Lonely women began to dream of some kind of support, protection, so that they would be delivered from these horrors. The shortage of men after the war made me cling tenaciously to at least some representative of the stronger sex, fulfilling all his whims so that he would not suddenly leave.
The current return to a kind of cult myth of "true womanhood" comes from there. The tragic events have long been left behind, but the habit has been preserved, passed on to granddaughters and daughters. This is what supporters of “female destiny” are trying to play, forcing them to choose instead of self-developmentonly raising children, serving a husband, housekeeping.
Opportunities for a new time
The era of great opportunities provides everyone with unlimited scope to create their own lives. A strong independent woman is able to create a real personality out of herself, to become herself. She has enough responsibility to make her life exactly the way she always dreamed of. You just need to develop your own talents and acquire the necessary skills.
Unfortunately, when raising a girl, she is taught only to play with dolls, sometimes needlework or music, without trying to reveal her true abilities. The qualities of a business woman or mathematical abilities are best discovered at an early age in order to have enough time for their development. The limited upbringing prevents girls from settling in life on their own. So they have to rely solely on a profitable marriage.
Public Prejudice
Unfortunately, "thanks" to the popular belief about the "true destiny", girls and ladies for centuries were forced to give up the important need for self-realization. It was believed that the joys of motherhood, needlework and housework were enough for them, and interest in "male" activities was considered abnormal and "sinful". An emancipated woman got the opportunity to choose her hobbies and profession. This raised her life to a different, higher quality level - development stops if a person does not do what he is inclined to.
Even now the need to know, determination, strength of character are considered only malefeatures. A business woman often cannot achieve recognition and trust of partners due to stereotypes that have developed in society, which often leads to a refusal to do business even before starting a career. Self-respect can only be achieved by real actions, you must continue to move on, not paying attention to the opinions of others.
Myths and misconceptions
The image of a magical prince on a white horse is the most dangerous dream that has been imposed on girls since childhood. Subsequently, single women cherish this myth until old age. They were taught that they can achieve a happy life only through an extremely successful marriage, and there is simply no need to study and achieve something on their own. A fairy-tale hero will surely appear who, captivated by beauty, will solve all problems, defeat enemies and wake him up with a magic kiss.
To gain financial and creative independence with such a worldview is extremely difficult, or rather, impossible. Moreover, constantly counting on male help in exchange for her external qualities and love, the girl reduces herself to the level of a commodity and loses her freedom of choice. Now the man will decide everything, her opinion will cease to be important. A happy woman is a person who is in harmony with the environment and herself, it is worth learning to be the main character in her own life.
Weak true femininity
We must also mention the myths about the "true purpose" and "weakness" of women, which are filled with tabloid novels, glossy magazines, popular websites. They are created for a clear distribution of gender roles in society.past and remained in the present as a harmful relic. Delusions deprive girls of self-confidence and prevent them from really taking place in life, from revealing their real abilities, severely limiting her in choosing a life path.
Such an opinion of society provides room for manipulation in the family, creates a negative image in the team. An independent woman today does not fit well with such definitions. There are many ladies who surpass some men in physical, spiritual, vitality.
Harmony of life
Everyone is now given the freedom to arrange their own destiny in accordance with their own choice. A happy woman always confidently moves forward, not listening to the stories of "well-wishers" about her "true destiny". Relationships, work, hobbies, knowledge are quite easy to harmoniously combine. Don't sacrifice one for the other, it will lead to a rather dull existence.
The life of a business woman who only cares about her own business and nothing else is the same mistake as the existence of an “exemplary wife” between a stove, a crib and a vacuum cleaner. Any business woman knows that fatigue and fanaticism will not help in achieving the goal and will definitely not add happiness. To get the joy of being present in your own destiny, you must observe the golden mean and not devote all your time to only one occupation. A walk in the woods, meeting friends, hobbies will help you take a break from everyday routine, and a well-planned day will help you find time for pleasant things.
High Needs
Well-known researchers of psychology have long noticed a certain instinct among the characteristics of a person that encourages self-development. The desire to become a real person, having shown will, to declare oneself, to do something important for the world in which one lives, by changing it, is the same natural need as food, safety, sex. The lack of the possibility of self-improvement becomes the cause of depressive states, neuroses, and complexes.
In other words, everyday amenities and entertainment are not enough for any individual, you need to find yourself in life. The need for freedom, creativity is inherent in nature itself, and their absence leads to self-destruction, and this distinguishes a person from an animal or a machine. To devote oneself to a distant, but achievable and desired goal, by making the world around you better, means to find a future. To live only for today, without thinking about the meaning of existence, is to lose yourself.
The Need for Creative Search
The desire to find your own way is an integral part of personality. Self-expression is not at all a passive contemplation of one's own life. Real development can be really achieved only through a conscious desire to create. An existence based only on fleeting pleasures cannot be called complete. Everyone is born with special abilities that turn from a gift into a punishment if they are not used. Unmanifested talents can seriously affect he alth - they simply begin to destroy the psyche and body from the inside, causing illness.
Ambition, perseverance,decisiveness will help in choosing the necessary activity. An independent woman will definitely find her true calling. Her trump card is that inner strength that society based on prohibitions and restrictions is incredibly afraid of.
Financial freedom
The power of money can forever hide a girl behind a “stone wall” of a dull marriage, force her to give up her personality, creativity, knowledge. A woman in modern society becomes successful, gains independence, financial stability, if she manages to find her life's work. You need to become a really mature person, take responsibility, join the rhythm of life.
Only it's not at all worth it for the sake of money to take all your free time with hard work, devoid of any creativity. Such work does not decorate existence, but contributes to the loss of personality, develops complexes, deprives one of will. It is much better to understand what is really interesting to do and learn this job, get the appropriate education, take courses.
It is also important to be able to manage your own finances. If you carefully plan your expenses, you can save a lot, money will no longer “leak” from your personal budget.
Need for education
To get out of life's impasse will help the development of skills and the accumulation of knowledge. Education plays a huge role here. An emancipated woman understands this very well and does not take into account the advice of well-wishers regarding the uselessness of education for the future wife of a we althy husband. Additional skills and useful information will always be useful both for your owndevelopment, and for high-quality professional growth.
Becoming part of a new life program, gaining new knowledge can strengthen a woman's determination in her future plans, help her see new facets of her chosen path, and avoid many mistakes. A good education will also allow you to start climbing the career ladder from the most profitable step. In addition, you should yourself additionally study the sciences necessary for the chosen business.
Possible problems
Unfortunately, the changed attitude of loved ones can become an obstacle in finding a new life. A patriarchal society will always hinder a woman's autonomy. Having become part of this environment, relatives, sincerely wishing well, can, with the help of persuasion, threats, censure, try to force them to return to their former way of existence. This test will be the most difficult obstacle on the way to yourself, because people dear to your heart will have to resist.
Friends and family are the people who know best all the ways of manipulation. An independent woman is perhaps an unusual phenomenon for a husband or parents. They want to see the usual appearance of a mother, wife, friend nearby and will not want to let him go. It is worth explaining to relatives how important the ongoing changes are for personal development and the overall success of the family. Loving people will always support in difficult situations, and the success of their daughter, wife, girlfriend will make them happy.
Choices
Of course, for the sake of self-improvement, you have to take risks,sacrifice your old habits and step into the unknown, which is always frightening, but the reward will be the joy and satisfaction of finding yourself. The new life of an independent woman is always the result of the most difficult choice that only a real person can make, between a comfortable life and the need to overcome the past self every second.
To better understand what changes are needed, what to give up, and what to gain, you can imagine your successful image in a few years. What associations arise with the word "happiness", "harmony", "luck"? A strict image of a business woman, a silhouette of an intellectual lady or a shadow of a reckless traveler on the desert sand… There are many options. Choosing for yourself who the new self will become is an incredible feeling. Real creativity is creating your own life.
Conclusion
Modern woman can really become independent, despite the vestiges of the past that exist today. She will need willpower, determination, a desire to learn and her own willingness to change. The public consciousness today has retained many misconceptions about the abilities and role of women in society. A girl should not listen to other people's opinions about herself, she must develop the ability to resist manipulation and attempts by the environment to impede her development. Freedom of expression is the highest need of any person. The courage to take full responsibility for your own destiny is essential to the creativity of your life.
