Advantages of Being a Woman

I AM WOMAN...when I want to be...

A satirical & light-hearted look at a woman's world!

With songs like "I'm Every Woman", "Sisters", "I'm Just A Girl" and "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun", being a woman, has never been more fun! While women are still subjected to a lot more lifestyle pressures than men in this male dominated world (just because 'we are women'), allow me to show you how womanhood has its perks too.

For instance, we as women are more tuned to our emotions than males and find it much easier to express ourselves. While most men wouldn't be caught dead crying in public, (let alone in front of their partners), women will find a number of reasons to burst into tears, be it out of frustration, or for emotional reasons, or for no-particular reason at all (as some men might have you believing!). For women, crying is often an outlet for stress relief and offloading pent up emotion. For males, crying is mostly perceived as being a sign of weakness. But one aspect of crying that males haven't yet discovered or mastered, is that in an argumentative situation, it can be used as a tool to get your own way or to prove a point (not that women would intentionally do this, of course!). But in the case that all else fails, for the maximum effect, try turning on those waterworks!

As women, we unfortunately have to suffer and endure the uncomfortable and often painful experience each month of having our periods and with that, are associated emotions and mood swings. A clear disadvantage over males, some might say, but it could also be perceived as an advantage. As women, unlike men, have an excuse to be cranky, unreasonable and even impossible at times, and occasionally we milk it for all its worth. Just by being female, we automatically have a valid reason for being irritable.

"Don't mind her, it's that time of the month again!" It is a regular assumption that if a woman is moody, then she must be having her period! But who are we to disagree hey? If getting a bit of extra attention and TLC is the end result, then who are we to stand in the way? The next time you hear that predictable utterance, shout out "Can you please pass me the Tim Tam's and while you're at it, I would love a cuppa!"

Another perk of being a woman is our ability to shop, shop, and shop! With twice as many retail stores to browse through, it is no wonder women spend much longer shopping than our male counterparts. Skirts, trousers, dresses, shirts, suits, cardigans...the list is endless. And our choice in clothing extends well into the home where women also have a much broader choice when it comes to borrowing from your partner's wardrobe! Have you ever noticed that his shirts look better on you? In extreme emergencies, women will always find something in a man's drawers that will do the job.

Do you ever find that women are more direct and diplomatic than males? While men often skirt around the truth, women are more forthright and say exactly what is on our minds. Although males might comment that feminine openness could lead to all sorts of confrontation, at least women display the courage, to let others know where they stand! Having said that though, we definitely know when to stop; something some males need to learn perhaps! Women will strongly try to avoid violence, as most are opposed to this type of behaviour in any shape or form. Besides, fighting takes up way too much energy, not to mention the risk of a broken fingernail!

As women, we also have wonderful self-support systems. There are a number of pampering techniques that we can use to pick ourselves up again, such as the bubble bath, an afternoon of retail therapy or for those of us who truly like to be spoilt, an all-day sitting session at the beauty salon. Or if we don't feel like venturing outside, there is always the option of making a phone call to several close friends who will be on our doorstep fully armed with sympathy, chocolate and even more sympathy, quicker than we can say "so what are your plans for this evening?"

A definite advantage of being a woman is the option to wear makeup, which really comes in handy when you are having an off day. Makeup can serve two purposes: it can enhance a woman's natural beauty or it can disguise those occasional flaws in our skin or the after-effects of last night's partying!

And while on the subject of beauty and all that jazz, females have the upper hand over males when it involves the latest gossip magazines, which we love to hate, but can't live without! Women can buy gossip magazines and openly wallow in them whereas men wouldn't be seen dead buying them. But they can't fool us ladies! If you've ever wondered what happened to the latest girly magazine you purchased, chances are it is stashed away somewhere in your partners drawers, to the left of those virtual Ralph magazines!

So next time you hear "I Am Woman (Hear Me Roar)" stand proud and salute your fellow 'sisters'! While the men in this world might have it easier, women are definitely having more fun, with a few laughs to be had along the way!

- Annemarie Failla