Every day I am inspired by this incredible community of women. And every time I design artwork for YD, I ask myself, 'What could I create to show gratitude to this community for being my inspiration and living life so unapologetic and free?'
You already know most of our artwork is designed with female empowerment on the mind: our ode to Georgia O'keefe, Frida Kahlo, RBG, women's history with our Feminist News, and if you look closely at our Coral My Name and Rustica artwork, you'll see I've used flowers to convey femininity with a little nod at our anatomy all along. But finally, it dawned on me, why am I beating around the bush? Although it seems crazy to put our anatomy on leggings, I felt like it is truly the best symbol to represent the distinct power of our femininity that unites us as sisters.
What may have seemed like a scarlet letter in the past, today I see my femininity as a badge of honor, something to be so proud of that I choose to display like a crown. For so long, I believed being "girlie" or doing things "like a girl" was a sign of weakness, so I spent most of my life trying to play into my masculine energy. For me, that meant "I don't need anything or anyone. I can do everything on my own," and that, trying so hard to be something that I wasn't, is what led me to crumble. I actually needed all of the things I was suppressing that came naturally with being a woman. I needed to nurture, to empathize, to be delicate, & soft in order to grow and flourish. To embody flow instead of force. Because as women, we have the inherent quality of growth and prosperity and bring the ultimate gift of life to all beings on this planet. It is not something to hide. It is such magic.
So today, and every day after, I no longer hide behind that masculine exterior, I choose my femininity, and I hope you do too. Cheers sisters.
It's a woman's world,
Haley
