What’s a queen without her king? Unfortunately, throughout my lifetime, I have encountered this preceding question upon multiple occasions. This analogy, however, reflects yet another flawed sociocultural fabrication, one rooted in misogynistic references and traditionalistic viewpoints. In the minds of millions of American women, alongside myself, this present chronicle must be completely nixed and laid to rest. Primarily, the proceeding question entails the concept of dependency—an unfortunate concept that has been ingrained in the minds of millions. Whether it be impassioned emotional support or financial guidance and/ or assistance, women require a male presence within their lives, or so we have always thought. In other words, albeit wrong and misinformed, and frequently derived from pseudoscience itself, women have been habitually evaluated in terms of their husbands and/or significant others—their success, emotional stability, and happiness seemingly contingent upon these paramount figures.
Fortunately, however, this phenomenon rarely ever manifests itself in today’s modern era. Indeed, many contemporaneous households are spearheaded by working women, while others establish their careers before making the decision to marry and/or have children of their own. Albeit challenging, women can do it all: educate themselves, establish note-worthy and successful careers, follow in pursuit of their passions and dreams, rear children, and exude strength and confidence without the authoritative presence of a man, whether it be positive or negative.
To argue against such points seems unfathomable—an approximate 40% of all households (with children under the legal age of 18) are either the sole or primary income providers for their families, according to the Pew Research Center. Indeed, in recent years, the amount of so-called “breadwinner moms’ have undergone a notable increase. To clarify, this definitive group is comprised of 5.1 million married women who hold higher salaries than their spouses and an approximate 8.6 million women who are single mothers. Albeit the public’s response to such pertinent social statistics remains contentious and divided, the facts withstand regardless.
Therefore, it is my intent to doggedly promulgate a sense of female empowerment, providing present-day women with much-needed comfort, reassurance, and solace—those of which often experience the harmful effects of such backward, brazen thinking. In other words, I would like to reverse such treacherous platitudes: women need NOT the presence of man. Her strength, perseverant grit and gracious resolve will, in fact, be the ultimate influencer–her success, happiness, self-satisfaction, and stability certainly not accounted for my male sources outside herself.
In lieu, women oftentimes wish for an invigorating relationship colored by integrity, respect, and affection. However, in stark contrast, such wishes remain solely potential desires and/or hypothetical wants. They are by no means demands, requests, nor necessities. Above all, we must become our own champions with or without a standing relationship. Please remember, you are enough with or without him/her.
So, what’s a Queen without her King? A QUEEN, nevertheless.