Nat Kwan
Educator | Soon-to-be Mom
Was there ever a time when someone told you to “be more feminine”?
Growing up in a society where so much emphasis is placed on women’s physical appearance, there are definitely expectations of what the most ideal feminine figure looks like. Often times, comments and suggestions made by peers have had a huge impact on my self-esteem.
As I am older now, I've realized that confidence is beauty – a woman who is confident radiates strength, passion and conviction. A confident woman should not be afraid to be herself.
What are the societal expectations and perceptions that come with ‘Femininity’?
I don’t think being feminine is seen as being weak, soft or unassertive. It is more so how confident and comfortable one is. Femininity is not a weakness. I believe that true strength means both resilience and vulnerability – both are human and both are hard.
In Asia, most societies are predominantly patriarchal. The customary thought is that girls are born to be fed and boys are born to earn and support the whole family. This is reflected through people's behaviour, especially in Asian societies. Having said that, I do believe the situation has improved a lot with today's modern society. Nowadays, more women are taking up managing roles in different industries.
As a soon-to-be mom, there are certain expectations on how to be feminine and a proper mother. I don’t think there is anything wrong with femininity being associated with roles such as being a mother or caregiver, but it certainly shouldn’t be limited to just that. I am ready to take on the challenging role of a mother, alongside other roles that I've always been involved with.
Being #FeminineAndProud means to respect all women by valuing and supporting their choices and identities.
We need to encourage each other to embrace ourselves as a modern woman. There are no set roles and rules on how to be feminine.
What will you do to redefine your definition of Femininity?
One tip on embracing femininity is to be comfortable with being your true self – never doubt your self-worth.
#FeminineAndProud means you need to embrace yourself, be confident and believe in the choices you make.
How do you support the women in your community? We’d love to give them a shout out to our #LBCommunity.
Besides offering academic lessons through my non-profit platform, I also offer different types of workshops and interest classes for underprivileged families, including mother-and-child yoga, dance classes and mindfulness classes amongst others.
I do this in the hopes that these will broaden their horizons and give them a chance to gain knowledge as they experience different cultures. As mentioned before, I believe that education is the foundation for a better future.
Who’s your ultimate girl crush, woman icon or role model?
My ultimate woman icon is Winnie Harlow, a Canadian fashion model. She was diagnosed with Vitiligo, a condition that causes de-pigmentation on parts of her skin. Despite this, she was not afraid to be her true self and embraced her skin condition with confidence. She went on to become one of the most famous fashion icons in such a cutthroat industry.
For her, beauty is personal and she doesn’t let her skin define who she is. I learned from her that self-confidence is a super powerful tool and that one can make a difference by being fearless.
