Classes has already begun, and this has been one of our assignment in one of my general education subjects that I am now taking up, Women Studies, and the question was: “WHY DO YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF A WOMAN?” Funnily enough, I find myself having a hard time answering this question (na parang hirap na hirap ako sa pagkababae ko, haha!), when we are just simply asked to make a short 2-paragraph essay about it… FORTUNATELY -I was able to do it and this is what I came up with and I think this is something worth sharing. 
“WHY DO YOU CONSIDER YOURSELF A WOMAN?”
Daughter. Sister. Niece. Aunt. Godmother… and soon a wife; a mother; a grandmother. These are several of the words that are; and will soon be tagged to me as a woman. But what is the real essence of being a woman? Is it simply the same as described in biology –being defined with the sex organ, or is there more to it than just that? Well, for me, I strongly believe that there is definitely a greater and deeper sense of being a woman than just being biologically “female.” A woman should be defined as someone who’s strong and not fragile; someone who courageously voices out what she deserves rather than being voiceless and unheard; someone who sees through the critical eye and witnesses what is immoral and unjust; someone who actively makes a stand and fearlessly makes an action to fight for the issues she sees especially on injustices and inequality. True, too, that a woman is defined to be emotional and gentle, but that does not mean that she can be treated unfairly. Like a lioness who has a gentle claw, women tend to be gentle especially with their young but ought to use their strength if faced with challenges.
After describing what the real essence of a woman is, I am proud to say that I, myself, am a woman because of the same passion that I have described earlier. I am a woman who has a mission to make a difference in this world. A mission to inspire and motivate people; to help them understand, grasp, actualize, and vocalize their own worth; to negotiate a better deal for themselves; take more responsibility for themselves; and eventually to inspire others also, as they empower and reinforce our youth to make a difference too. 
