Embracing Your Femininity

Dear Intentional Reader,

Before you start reading, pause for a moment and breathe.

Focus on exhaling.

Breathe in.
Hold for six seconds.
Now breathe out.

This post is specially for women — African women in particular. That breathing exercise wasn’t random; it was intentional; and it was meant to help you release stress, soften your body, and return to calm.

This piece was inspired by conversations I’ve had with a couple of female friends, as well as recurring discussions I see online. I’ve heard men — and even women say that African women are “too hard,” “too aggr#ssive,” or “not feminine enough.”

And it made me reflect deeply.

Let's talk about why that is so from my perspective. 

Disclaimer: While reading, it's important to understand that this does not apply to every African woman; neither is it the reality in every African home. I am coming from the angle of women whose "h@rd girl" behavior is shaped or influenced by these experiences growing up.

From childhood, the typical African girl child is often unintentionally raised with survival instincts that later show up as masculinity. This may come from an absent father, or a present one who shows little affection. In many homes, emotional expression isn’t encouraged — strength is.

I strongly believe that many of our adult behaviours are formed in childhood. We were taught how to behave -- directly or indirectly, through observation, instructions, or simply through necessity.

We watched our mothers endure, we watched them hustle, and we watched them suppress emotions to keep families running.

And... we learned!
This girl child grows up and starts dating. She may find herself with a man who wasn't taught nor learned how to lead emotionally, or one who doesn’t create a safe space for vulnerability. Over time, she learns that softness is risky.

So she toughens up...

She learns to speak louder, she starts to argue harder, and she learns to protect her feelings fiercely, because being gentle has often been puni$hed or misunderstood.

Many women are labeled “unfeminine” not because they lack femininity, but because they were never given the safety required to express it.

In many African households, girls are introduced to hustle culture early. Once you reach a certain age, it becomes your responsibility to fend for yourself, and often for your family too.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with independence, ambition, or financial responsibility. But when a female child is forced into the role of provider too early, survival becomes her default mode; and whether you know it or not, survival doesn’t leave much room for softness.

Over time, she becomes emotionally guarded, hyper-independent, and constantly alert. These traits are praised — yet they slowly disconnect her from her feminine energy.

If you can relate to this, then this post is for you; it's me encouraging you to embrace your femininity because Femininity Is Not Fragility.

Deep down, most women desire softness:

They want to be held, they want to be spoilt, and they certainly want to feel safe enough to be playful, tender, and emotionally open with the man they love.

But not all men understand what it truly means to lead a woman emotionally. Leadership isn’t control — it’s creating safety. It’s consistency, and it’s emotional intelligence.

I think it is important to note that this post is not about blaming men nor blaming parents. I mean there are so many men who create a safe space for their women; and so many parents especially fathers who provided and are still providing a soft landing for their daughters.

This post is about a clear understanding.

Femininity has been deeply misunderstood. Gentleness is often mistaken for weakness, when in truth, softness is strength under control.

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PS, there’s a word I’ve been seeing often on social media — “cr@sh-out.” It’s usually used jokingly to describe emotional outbursts or reactive behaviour.

As a former cr@sh-out myself, I’ve learned something important: true strength lies in calmness.

Reacting loudly doesn’t make you powerful. Staying grounded does. No one should have the power to consistently pull you out of character.

As adults, we have to take responsibility for our behaviour. Our past may explain us, but it should not excuse us. Taking accountability is a form of self-respect, self-love, and self-awareness. 

I believe many African women struggle to embody femininity because it was never modeled for them. Some of our mothers were praised as “strong women”; women who endured silently, worked endlessly, raised children, carried marriages, and rarely rested. Emotional security wasn’t their reality; resilience was.

They played their roles, raised their children, waited for them to get into school and graduate, get a job, get married, and then they became grandparents — until life quietly passed by.

A girl raised in this environment grows up believing this is what womanhood is all about... until someone decides to break that cycle.

Femininity doesn’t mean losing yourself, but embracing your true nature; and allowing yourself to be loved for it.
It doesn’t mean weakness.
It doesn’t mean dependence.

It means emotional regulation.
It means self-awareness.
It means choosing peace over chaos.

Soft women are not powerless — they are intentional, and actually powerful because they're in control of their emotions. 

Lastly, femininity is also about unlearning survival where it’s no longer required.

What did femininity look like in the home you grew up in?

Xo, Moxie!

 

Have you read The Morning Routine That Tripled My Productivity