Womanhood
noun | wom・an・hood | \ˈwu̇-mən- ˌhu̇d, especially Southern ˈwō- or ˈwə-\
a : the state of being a woman
b : the distinguishing character or qualities of a woman or of womankind
(Merriam-Webster Dictionary)
Ah, yes. The debate of womanhood; a debate that has taken the hot seat within our world view as of late. What defines being “a woman?” And, more locally, what does being a woman mean on Denison University’s campus? I have been fascinated by the *suddenly* mysterious question of what a woman “should” be, what they “should” embrace, and so forth, all brought to light by the current social and political climate of our world. So, I couldn’t help but ask a group of Denison women their perspective on the matter. As a result, presented here is the first of many spotlight pieces of Denison’s women and their thoughts concerning the topic of womanhood.
Though these women do not represent every woman’s experience as a whole on our campus, I found the answers from just some of Denison’s best and brightest women both insightful and important. I found that by just speaking to fellow women around me about their individual experiences can reveal so much about how different the human experience is from person to person. And, to be quite honest, the answers I got from my female peers made me even more honored and amazed to share The Hill with them throughout our college experience. Hopefully this series gives you a taste of how amazing these ladies are.
Being a Woman on Denison’s Campus is…
Adriana Kidon (’19)
“Having my opinions heard”
One could catch Adriana reading bits of poignant poetry, taking a nice hike, or even waltzing through a curious museum. But Adriana adorations and hobbies do not define her completely.
Adriana sees her role as a woman on campus as a chance to speak her mind in an environment that welcomes freedom of thought. She eventually plans on transferring those same values to the real world (which may not always be as understanding and open as Denison).
Adriana asserts that women at Denison are “powerful forces.” She recognizes the potential effect the social scene on campus has on conceiving new expectations for Denison women, whether that be how they dress, how they speak in a variety of social situations, and so forth.
Adriana strives to exhibit her own individuality by always embracing exactly who she is and diverting from socially constructed “norms” that present themselves on campus. Whether she’s volunteering with Big Brothers Big Sisters, dabbling in a bit of painting, or working two on-campus jobs, Adriana certainly makes her own mark at Denison.
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There is no doubt that there are so many more stories of women to be told, especially in regard to culture, gender, and other prominent issues within women’s lives. Furthermore, I genuinely believe that the women I interviewed have something valuable to present to all of our campus experiences. I believe that knowing people’s individual perspectives on the subject of womanhood gives us a better campus-wide insight into how powerful and influential the women of Denison University are. Denison women display the incomparable fact that each woman does not fit an ideal mold. They do not exhibit the same “distinguishing character or qualities” of what society has deemed an “ideal woman” should be. In fact, we should consider their testimonies quite the opposite. Denison women are everything a woman could be and more. Their distinct personalities, backgrounds, cultural upbringings, and interests showcase that each Denisonian woman is a star, a voice, and a pioneer of worthwhile change. Let us strive to seek the value of their stories, endlessly.