"Womanhood"

from Nothing Sweeter by Julie Arsenault

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Disclaimer: Trans women are women and Trans men and non-binary people can menstruate. I don't think referring to menstruation as "Womanhood", or telling a child that has hit puberty that they are "a woman now", is right at all.

This song is also about my frustration with (and rejection of) the narrative that "women can do it all", when in reality there are days when I can do very little because I have pre-menstrual dysphoric disorder, a chronic, cyclic, reproductive illness. I am also Autistic.
The ableist mindset that I should be able to "do it all" effected my self-worth for too long. I was forced to compare my productivity not only to men, but to non-disabled people. This led me to push myself to the point of burnout too many times.

All of this to say that writing this song was very cathartic and if it resonates with you, I want to remind you that you are not weak for needing rest. Please be kind to yourself and give yourself the same compassion you would anyone else.

lyrics

The wood rots quickly on the balcony
My lungs long desperately for air
The blood’s leaving my body at an alarming rate
And the strange thing is nobody seems care

My “womanhood”, life giving money making good house keeping busy like I should be sleeping soon but I have too my to prove my “womanhood”, my “womanhood”

I’m losing patience with the government
The kids next door have learned to swear
My head feels like it’s swimming in a pool of cement
And the pain is too much for me to bear

My “womanhood”, life giving money making good house keeping busy like I should be sleeping still but I have too my to prove my “womanhood”, my “womanhood”, my “womanhood”

credits

from Nothing Sweeter, released November 3, 2023

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Julie Arsenault Toronto, Ontario

Julie is a half-Filipino singer-songwriter and cat-lover based in Toronto, Ontario.

Julie is on the Autism Spectrum and writes and performs music as a way to connect with other humans. The reoccurring theme in all of Julie's songs is the resilience of the human spirit. ... more

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