How do you 'feel like a woman' today?

[hypernormal]

The question of how it's possible for someone to 'feel like a woman' is usually answered by those who 'identify as female' with sexist stereotypes - things such as liking barbie as a child, playing with girls, liking makeup and dresses etc. I'm interested to hear how biological women would answer this question.

This morning I woke up early with period pains, so I took some paracetamol. Then, when I changed my menstrual cup it was so full that it spilled on my trousers that I'd just put on, so I had to wash them and find something else to wear that will fit my massively, hormonally bloated stomach. This is not something that happens to transwomen, yet this is the only way in which I 'feel like a woman' so far today.

How do you 'feel like a woman' today?

Angry.

Um.... well let's just say this post has reminded me to exercise my pelvic floor.

Having to change from comfy flat walking shoes into more acceptable office shoes, pmt sore breasts, planning meals for next five days, asking boss for time off to take daughter to school, frustration that some women want to give up my rights to men ...

I've got the fanny daggers, even though I'm not pregnant Lack of exercise? Or leftover reminder of SPD? Whatever. The joys of the female body

Erm

Im not awake properly yet so haven’t done anything womanly

But in about half an hour I’m going to put some makeup on (don’t do my hair as its mainly been Shaved in a covid cut) Put jeans and a t shirt on

Going to have coffee with friends

Ermmmm probably going to do a craft hobby this afternoon which mainly women do

Cook tea...(dh did it yesterday) and put a wash in

Think thats it And thats pretty much all stereotypes isn’t it

Oops

I’m with Floral - angry. Having just read some of the threads on here, flagging up the continued abuse of women by TRAs and woke bros.

Well, it's all biological, put it that way.

None of that makes me feel like a woman

Ive got period pains, my boobs hurt and my stomach is dodgy which always fucking happens around my period. I also have a fuck ton of hormonal spots covering my face that werent there 2 days ago.

Also I just went to the GP which featured 10 minutes of being patronised

Are period pains exclusionary? Maybe I'm weaponising my suffering by even mentioning them. God. Not even 9 am and I've committed wrongthink.

Got up early to try to get some work done before ‘home schooling’, sorting out a Father’s Day present, repeat prescription for the cat and food shopping. Doing something nice with the kids.

Writing letters to my MP, Keir Starmer and Liz Truss.

Very sore boobs, tena as no pelvic floor.

By having the sole responsibility of satisfactorily educating my 7 yr old and getting my 10yr old to school. Because my husbands job is more important than mine, because he’s paid more and hasn’t had to take time off from his career to give birth and care for a baby. My “woman feeling” is envy.

Ha! I just came in to say because I have a fucking awful period. Carnage awaits as it builds up nicely to battlefield levels today and tomorrow.

If anyone feels excluded by this then they are truly welcome to it 😃

In a muddle with my new progesterone only pill, don’t know if I’m coming or going. Apparently the side effects will settle down, but it’s the only thing I can have at the moment and I can’t risk becoming a mum of 4. Worried about my husband who’s working too hard and sister waiting for a cancer check up (she’s in remission but having some symptoms) with a day of homeschooling ahead plus trying to do my job without childcare. Not complaining, life is life and I’m very blessed, but definitely no time to stop and think about how ‘womanly‘ i am doing it all.

@ErrolTheDragon

Mental note to self this morning to get more Tenas...

becasue my pelvic floor is is wrecked after giving birth to babies which grew in my female womb from ova which came from my female ovaries.

But, dressed in t shirt, sweatshirt and sweatpants that all once belonged to one of my sons. No bra, no makeup, no high heels, and wfh at my engineering job.

Oh no, maybe I am actually a man?

Interrupted sleep and night sweats due to the menopause. Same every night.

Period pain. Flooded so I've had to wash bedding and clothes, and clean up the toilet. Having woken up in the night because I flooded then. So I, feeling a bit grumpy. And hungry.

I will be spending the day on the sofa in pyjamas making sure the kids don't kill each other.

Currently breastfeeding dd and woke up to the first signs of my period - which will be the first since dd - and I can already tell it's going to be a doozie.

Also reminded DH that he needs to buy a Father's Day present and card for his dad, suggested what present to get and then took a suitable picture of the dc for said present, including outfit changes. No doubt I'll actually have to remind him to actually press go on that at some point today too!

Dealing with peri menopausal flooding at work, doubling up on pad and tampon, and needing to change hourly. A three hour meeting scheduled with mostly men, so will have to leave several times during that, and no doubt he office fuckwit will make some hilarious comment about the frequency of my toilet trips just to be certain everyone notices.

I’m 26 weeks pregnant so feeling pretty ‘womanly’ right now in that I feel pumped up like a beach ball and I’ve already been to the toilet three times this morning without having had a drink!

Yet another hot flush. At nearly 59 that's the main one for me.

So far I have spent the morning retching with morning sickness and regretting the toasted muffin breakfast. Putting on my stretchy but least pretty shoes as my feet have already swollen in pregnancy. Trying not to have too many panic attacks as this pregnancy has brought back my PTSD from my first birth where I spent quite a bit of time on an operating table thinking ‘this is it, I’m going to die here’.

So feminine, so womanly! So much fun!

@NoCisAllWoman

I've got the fanny daggers, even though I'm not pregnant Lack of exercise? Or leftover reminder of SPD? Whatever. The joys of the female body

Same here. I get a few SPD niggles before my period.

Also angry at the mo about all this shit, but cheered by the support JKR has received & enjoying watching some of the cannier TRAs trying to walk back their howling misogyny now it is out in the open. Pro tip: you can’t make people unsee what they have seen.

My second 'womanly' moment of the day has been worrying about how many calories are in my breakfast, lest my body fail to meet Western beauty standards. I'm on the lower end of a healthy weight for my height, shouldn't think this is something many men in the same position worry about.