I participated in many healthy conversations about Shakira and Jennifer Lopez’s performance during half-time of the Super Bowl. I was inspired – it made me want to learn belly dancing and pole dancing!
Some felt it was the best show ever. Some felt it was too provocative. Some people felt it took attention away from causes like immigration, and some felt that the performance absolutely did not represent women empowerment. We are all entitled to our opinions – the advantage of living in free world.
But the many perspectives did make me contemplate women empowerment and what it really means in 2020. Does it mean still thinking what we have been told by our mothers, as they were told by their mothers? The beliefs passed down consciously or unconsciously from each generation to next.
Women need to dress a certain way
Women need to dance a certain way
Women need to act a certain way
Are we inviting male attention and their objectifying thoughts by dressing, dancing and acting too provocatively and bold?
Is it time to rethink our beliefs?
What would happen if we raised our sons to not have objectifying thoughts or make assumption that we dress for attention and not for our own gratification? How would it be if we encouraged our daughters to not worry about what others think? Is it possible to show boys and girls that we can admire beauty just like we admire a rainbow or a starry night or an art without needing to objectify it?
What if we started to think empowerment as having choices?
To train as a nun or a professional athlete
To learn exotic dancing or study to be a doctor
To become a housewife or a CEO
To enjoy cooking fancy meals or not cook
To join the military or to dance for living
To dress demurely or dress provocatively
To have a lean body or have a muscular body
To rock a power suit or rock a dress
To build a business empire or add value to a company
To bear children or not bear children
To stay single or get married or live with someone without any titles
To focus on our career or to focus on our family
And in many cases above … why not both? These choices are ours and shift as we grow and learn who we are. Our beliefs don’t need to stay the same just because someone passed them down to us.
Let’s support each other and embrace who we are without any judgement.
Prati Kaufman is a Marketing and Mindset Coach, Speaker and Mentor. She endeavors to empower individuals to take inspired action with no self-judgement. Her son says, she has superpowers and she modestly agrees with him. Her superpowers come from the people she surrounds herself with.
Connect with Prati Kaufman if you’re ready to build and run a business that serves you and your desired lifestyle.