When we decide to focus on developing our femininity and to grow into our potential as women, it’s helpful to look for role models to inspire and motivate us. One of the wonders of the internet is that it opens up nearly the whole world to us. We can learn from people we would otherwise never have encountered and discover perspectives outside our local neighbourhood. However, the internet means that anyone can give themselves a platform, regardless of how well or poorly qualified they may be to speak on a subject. This means it’s necessary for us to discern who we choose to listen to and whether we should wholeheartedly accept everything they say as truth.
Discerning YouTube Influencers
Over the past year and a half, I’ve become aware of many people speaking about femininity on YouTube. Some of these I’ve personally disagreed with and so chosen to avoid their influence and interpretations. Others I’ve embraced and been grateful to have their encouragement speaking into my life. However, it’s important to not just accept someone’s surface façade. Helpful truth can be mixed up with unhelpful lies. If we open the door to one, the other may slip in too if we’re not on our guard. This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t listen to perspectives we disagree with. It just means we need to stay conscious of questioning the underlying narratives. I believe a key part of mature femininity is wisdom. To be truly feminine we must avoid naivety, be aware of potential manipulation, and remember to think critically.
Critique With Kindness
I don’t agree with gossip or needlessly damaging people’s reputations. However, I do think it is important to practice critical thinking and to logically evaluate the worldviews and opinions being promoted. It’s important not to spread hatred or harass figures who are speaking online and already receive abuse from internet trolls. Even if we disagree with or dislike someone’s ideology or parts of their ideology, we should still be loving towards the person behind them. There is a way to critique respectfully if we feel the need to publicly address certain issues. Love should challenge injustice and deception in order to bring about change, but it should also be kind so that we contribute towards making a better world instead of contributing towards the already all too plentiful hate.
Growing on Our Journey
We don’t know YouTubers or other such influencers personally, so our knowledge is limited. From the information available to us, we should look at the evidence and assess it for ourselves with critical thinking, with love, and with wisdom. We can come to a fair evaluation but should acknowledge that we may not necessarily be correct. Sometimes there can be a fine line between critically addressing what someone is teaching and cruelly trashing their reputation. We must be careful not to get drawn across that line. At certain points in our journey we may find it’s time to relinquish certain teachers or influencers who we found helpful earlier on in our journey but have now outgrown. It is fine to do so. Sometimes people are just there to teach us something at a certain stage of our life. Our goal is not to become like those role models but rather to become who we were made to be. We can appreciate the past but look forwards at the same time.
Feminine Finishing School
With this said, it’s right to turn the attention to this blog – Feminine Finishing School. I am not infallible. I have good intentions and try to be self-aware, but I want to remind you to never take my word or interpretations as gospel. I’m still learning and I’m only human after all. This blog is a place I can explore topics such as femininity, etiquette, and Bible study as I learn more about them myself. We’re all flawed and limited in our perspectives, although we can strive to educate ourselves on issues where we lack experience. Remember to think critically for yourself, no matter who you are listening to or what you’re reading. Be guided by your own moral compass and, if you’re Christian, through praying to God.
Feminine Finishing School 