Sex refers to being male or female. Gender refers to masculinity or femininity. With these come roles and statuses which are socially construed. And thus, society has stereotyped certain roles for different sexes. Thus, we, as women play the role of a daughter, a sister, a mother, not because we choose to be such. Rather, because society expects us to be so. UNFAIR, isn’t it not? Suddenly our lives as women are no longer governed by our freedom of choice but by our instinct for survival – survival of our roles as the society sees to befitting for us. Welcome to our SOCIO 10 class – where issues are raised talked about. Amazing because somewhere in the middle, i watch a daydreaming girl seize time to scribble something such as this:

“Asan ka na? Tagal tagal naman eh! Haven’t seen you yet today. I miss looking at you. Staring at you from afar. Yeah, you’re not gwapo You’re not even cute but shucks! You exude appeal! Big time!!! Saw you yesterday but only for a little while – just a little glimpse. Wasn’t able to stare at your beautiful hair (daig pa ako eh!), your broad shoulders, your crappy (hahahha) yet confident look. I miss you! Now that i’m no longer stalking you, I miss your presence very much. Please, I beg you… complete my day!”

For those of you who may be raising eyebrows at such frankness, such openness and such mood of desperation, that’s your problem. Shame on you especially if you’re a woman for thinking that we have no right to be so blatantly open of our affections just because we are women. You have allowed society to dictate to you that we are the weak, mahinhin ladies who coyly wait for men to make the first move. Oh well, that’s your choice – a choice to stay in a game of survival of roles. Hail those brave enough to break away from convention! Hail those empowered women of today! I salute you!