Florence Welch, the lead vocalist of the band “Florence and the Machine” by the song ”The King” subverts stereotypes by focusing on what truly constitutes woman nature and highlighting the superpower that surrounds it. It breaks the chain of the roles that women are expected to embody, laying new foundations that are not based on their biological purpose. A manifesto about womanhood, family and femininity; concepts that are deeply rooted in the stereotypical status of society.
The women’s rights march is filled with struggles, force and radical overturns. March 8, 1975, was the precursor of feminism. Female workers take to the streets of New York, demanding for the first time the same working conditions as men. Women demand professional recognition, which they achieve with their dynamic “presence”. Their efforts are spreading, women are stepping up and establishing the independence of their bodies and choices and the right to determine themselves. They have the first say when it comes to their nature. As Simone de Beauvoir once said “one is not born, but rather becomes, a woman”.
The burden of following the way that these women have paved for us lies on our shoulders. Holding onto each other we understand that the power lies within and amongst us and that our history is exactly the dynamic evolution of these women who fought for the bare minimum. Our legacy is in our hands and it is our duty to carry on this legacy so that the new generation of women can go even further. This effort should be based on solidarity, mutual help and love in a society that makes women stand not only against men but also against other women.
If I were given the opportunity to imagine the ideal world for a woman, it would surely be a huge hug that would hold within all the power of being and sharing. Women who would not be judged for their body, weight or appearance. Women who would not be criticized for whether or not they wish to get married or become mothers or housewives. Women who could be equal to any man in every employment sector. Women who would not be targeted for their strengths or weaknesses. Women who could be truly free, liberated from social norms, embracing, whichever way they please, their femininity. But most importantly women who support each other, who help other women stand on their feet, women who admire women and detest malice, intolerance and envy.
Florence —like so many other women before her— was faced with choices that were inseparably linked to her being a woman, transforming this “dead end” into an advantage. She managed to convey the message through her art and if we can take anything from it, that would be that a genuine change comes from within and settles on social stereotypes and weakens them. And indeed, while the way that has been paved is long enough, we still end up claiming the bare minimum, facing unequal battles and the “dead end” of our choices. However, if anything characterizes us, it is our strength, the instinct of survival, which helps us stand on our feet and flourish. And, united hand in hand, we create the path we wish to walk on.
