Mirrors are for reflections.

I ask every woman out there look to another woman and ignite the same question that they may ask of themselves. Who am I?

Look at yourself in the mirror and ask yourself, "who am I?" Look deep into your own eyes and search for that question. The answer you find may be right under your nose. Or in this case, above your nose. Nonetheless, you are a woman.

So, who are you? Besides being a woman, you are the heart and soul of every family. You hold things together in the palm of your hand; whether it be a copy of your latest marketing project, a broom, a tissue that you hold for the tears of a friend, or the broken pieces of a shattered heart. It is you that holds things together.

Only a woman can mend her own heart, mend the hearts of others, and keep the hearts of many together, in a single place in time. When you look in the mirror, you may think of yourself as alone in the world with no where to turn and not a penny in your pocket. But you should also consider this: you look into the eyes of a generation of women who have fought for your rights. Your right to vote. Your right to work. Your right to be strong and hold two jobs. Your right to bear children, become a lawyer, doctor and create the life you want to live.

Love and strength don't discriminate. When all else fails, it is a woman who brings the two into the world. Creation itself looks not into the eyes of a man or woman and discriminates; it is the ears of a young child that hears only love in his/her mother's heartbeat.

So when you look at yourself in the mirror, what do you see? But more importantly, do you see the soul of a strong, inspiring woman? What brings hope and great leaders into the world is not only the presence of a man, but also the labor of love from a woman.

Objectification

Recently, I have been far more involved in a current class that I am taking rather than any of my previous classes. This class that has opened my eyes considerably has given me new ideas, ways to change myself for the better, and most importantly: it's given me the power to value myself more as a woman and a successful human-being.

Coming into my Representing Women Across Borders and Contexts class has given me the strength and power to see myself as more than just a woman. It has also given me and my peers a reason to request more than respect from our social counterparts. Being a woman with a successful past and future, I had never realized how many things a woman is subdued to until I listened to the stories of other women. Women just like myself. These women have inspired me to be stronger in my daily life challenges and to live above discrimination and victimization.

Prior to being in a class with women just like myself, I had never questioned the uncertainty and true value of a woman until I had learned to open my eyes. Daily, I often find myself looking at things differently. I realize the smallest things in public when I'm doing simple things such as grocery shopping. Walking into a store with my boyfriend today and looking at his dress and pant sizes which were measurements made me realize the confusion that women face when shopping for clothes. Men look at pant and shirt sizes with measurements, while us women guess on what size we may be in one store (most likely we were another size in a different store). What does this say about the society we live in? It lets women across our country know that confusion between dress sizes is only because we aren't certain about our weight. We may feel slender in some dresses, but heavy in another one. Therefore, we stick to the smaller size and never shop elsewhere. Our weight follows everywhere. It is calling us to look at  ourselves as objects rather than consider ourselves as beautiful, empowered women with educations.

By looking around in the same store I was able to notice the availability of business attire in the menswear section. Perhaps maybe I'll find a plain white button up dress shirt for myself? Who am I kidding? Not one in plain sight. The message that department stores relay is the message that women aren't meant to be in professional jobs. For clothes that are appropriate enough for business attire, we've got to shop in expensive clothing stores to look professional. There are no dress pants, dress shirts, or suits in department stores for women. The normal man is a businessman, while the normal woman is a stay at home mother. Those women in the professional field looking for a suit must make far more money to be shopping in a department store.

These subtle hues that markets relay to the public is what shapes us into the way that we think. We should be thinking that we are overweight. We should be thinking that we should be stay at home mothers instead. We shouldn't be looking at professional attire in a department store that offers it only for men. Is this all true? Should it be true? Should we justify our weight to that of supermodels in magazines? Should we objectify ourselves to find a man who will want us?

More importantly, should we objectify ourselves to live a happy life?

My answer is no. Women are not here for the  purpose of objects, to deliver babies and raise them. We are here for God's purpose and only his purpose! To be happy. To be happy with whatever it is we WANT to do and whatever it is that HE has planned for us.