The Lead - USLS

𝗢𝗡𝗘 𝗕𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗧𝗛 𝗔𝗪𝗔𝗬

Even the stars are leaning in.

Something has been quietly brewing in the spaces between pencil marks and ink strokes—a collection of worlds, waiting just behind the page. In just one day, The Lead will unveil its very first litfolio, and every word in it has been waiting for this moment.

Are you ready to get lost in it?

#𝗢𝗻𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗱𝗢𝗽𝗘𝗱: 𝗙𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗮𝗿𝗲, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗪𝗼𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝘆𝗼𝘂’𝗹𝗹 𝗯𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗲

A reality that I have to grapple with is that when I grow up, I will realize that society ultimately thinks that a man is inherently better than a woman. In any moment of our entire lives, “Men are stronger, more capable.” God is depicted as a man; most world leaders are men, men dominate the workforce, men do the hard labor, and the default model of strength is a (mostly white) cisgendered male, who embodies brute force, muscle, and male dominance in movies.

But conversely, I didn't grow up consuming these portrayals at all. As a child, and I think I still do in some way now, I always dismissed these depictions as soulless and ridiculous. The flashyness of human strength from men did not impress me in the slightest because I grew up with many diverse female influences in my life who I would consider such strong individuals despite their different backgrounds. My heroes didn't wear capes, they wore a fastfood uniform, oversized dusters and old rusty working cloth.

Some of them are working in corporate settings, some of them are housewives, some of them are farmers who work under the sun, and some of them are just getting by in life. These women showed me true strength and resilience in the face of a cruel world. With their diverse backgrounds, it gave me the impression that there is no one singular way to be strong, that strength comes from within each and everyone of us no matter the gender and circumstances we are born in.

And with a certain female figure in the media that has been around for several decades inspiring young girls to be themselves, Barbie. For me, and I’m sure to many young girls, she isn't just a doll, but a symbol for female empowerment not just for girls and women, and also to q***r children who don't conform to the masculine ideals of many cultures. As controversial of a figure that she might be, Barbie provided an alternative reality for young people to project themselves into. In this world, a woman can be a president, a doctor, an actor, a fire fighter, a pilot, an astronaut and more; all of that while not sacrificing her femininity. Barbie can be everything and she is everything.

But imagine my shock when I found out that these realities are not present in the real world I live in. Describing this experience reminds me of the 2023 film Barbie, where the titular character, Barbie, travels to the real world and how it contrasted the bright and vibrant colors of Barbie land to the cold grey walls of Los Angeles. The first time I watched the scene, it gave me that uncomfortable feeling as it felt too close to home and I assume every woman has felt that at some point in their lives; when the facade of a perfect world collapses right between their eyes.

Suddenly, everyone is doubting you. They're trying to bring you down a peg because they don’t like outspoken women. Now, everyone is trying to put you in your place; in the kitchen, in a house, where you’ll have children and cook dinner for your husbands. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but your options are suddenly limited.

How does a young girl make sense of the world that thinks she’s lesser? Less worthy? Less capable? Because of her biology. How the idea of inequality is deeply rooted in every aspect of her life. From the moment she’s born and up until she reunites with her creator. To find out that everything she does will never satisfy the hunger for perfection and control from a patriarchal world.

“Don’t be too loud, cause men don’t like loud women.
Don’t be fat ‘cause men don’t like fat women.
Don’t be too skinny ‘cause you’ll set a bad example for young girls.
Don’t be so ███████ serious all the time. Smile ‘cause men might get threatened and uncomfortable.
Don’t dress provocatively ‘cause you’ll attract men and when you get █████, it is ultimately your fault. Men cannot control their urges.
But don’t dress too conservatively, because you’ll look like a prude and no man will ever date you.
Also don’t say you like women because you're just confused. It’s just a phase and, one day, you'll meet a man who will make you straight.”

I sometimes wish I could return to childhood, when my biggest concern was dreaming of being a fairy with magical powers wrapped in a kind of whimsy and innocence that shielded me from the world’s harsh realities. Now, as a young woman, my dreams have shifted toward seeking freedom not only for myself, but for the women who stand beside me. Being a woman in society comes with its own set of sacrifices, requiring strength, endurance, and resilience. I wouldn't have found that strength without the women in my life. From the young girl you once were, to the woman you are today, and the one you are still becoming, always remember to be kind but never fragile. 𝙒𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙮 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙬𝙞𝙣 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙬𝙚 𝙢𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙛𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩.

Text | Elle Remo ([email protected], +639681643780)
Visuals | Joaquin Mapa

Editor's Note: The views and opinions of the writer do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the publication and its members.