A Woman's Body - Who Owns It?

A recent court case highlights the need for discussion about how women and their bodies are treated and not just in view to impending motherhood. We have all heard of pro-life activists who feel that an unborn child has the right to life even if the expectant mother does not wish to continue with her pregnancy. Whilst this subject is very sensitive and both sides of this argument has very valid points, my question is 'Who owns a woman's body?'

Would the fact that a pregnant woman has a diagnosed mental health condition allow decisions to be made on her behalf without her consent? How much should a woman be involved in her own body and how it is treated? What protections are in place to determine perceived rights to women on how they live their lives? Is the fact that a woman is pregnant eliminate her right to choose what happens with her body? This article is not about pro-life but the right for a woman to choose how her body is treated. This article is not about pregnant women but the right for women to choose how their bodies are treated. Getting stuck on pro-life would only serve as background noise and can serve as a distraction.

Everyone (of appropriate age) has the right to deny treatment of any sort and everyone has the right for all procedures to be fully explained to him or her. There will instances whereby others will have to make a decision on someone's behalf but these should be exceptional circumstances and the law covering these instances ensuring congruence and integrity. Everyone has the right to take part in activities deemed risky and everyone has the right to the most appropriate medical intervention. It is the 'most appropriate intervention' that I want to explore.

In the ongoing court case, decisions were made on behalf of a woman using a particular method that felt that she would not have agreed to. When would the need for someone else to make a decision displacing an individual? Was there more emphasis placed upon the fact that the kind of intervention was based upon her being a woman? How far should we go to allow a person to be fully informed of treatment and what this treatment should look like? Is the situation of removal of consent more likely to occur if a woman is pregnant, is she then viewed separate from the life growing inside her? I repeat, this article is not about pro-life issues; we must stay focused on the subject at hand, the woman; although pregnant women are being discussed. The term 'pregnant' is only used to describe the position a woman may find herself in and to explore whether consent challenges only exist in these circumstances.

I also understand that the emotions evoked when discussing pregnant women and the 'right' for women to choose how things are done. However, how much of a woman's right to choose is applied to her everyday life? Are there many instances whereby a woman is encouraged to undergo a procedure for the benefit of her unborn baby but more importantly have we considered how would this make a woman feel about her own body?

What about a woman who is not pregnant, should she have any form of intervention against her knowledge and agreement? An example could be women who are living with either physical or emotional disabilities. Have there been any instances that these women have had treatment or intervention without their consent or knowledge? Does the decision to remove consentual agreement determined by a woman being deemed 'unfit'? Who determines levels of 'fitness'?

As a nation, are we able to fully satisfy ourselves that any form of intervention without consent is in the best interests of an individual? Are the current specific guidelines in establishing what acts as demarcation for the removal of consent without fault and can a person or persons act without proper counsel? The implementation and proper use of legislation will serve as proper channels that will safeguard women from having their bodies treated in a way that they would not necessarily agree to. There have been many paths trodden on to allow women to be seen as worthy recipients to life and to have the ability to make their own decisions. The removal of consent should not be taken lightly nor should it be used a tool to manage women medically.

Attitudes to women have come a very long way from the rallies of Women's Rights but undoubtedly, there continues to be areas for improvement. It is worrying when we have to start to explore deeper whenever an issue has been raised concerning a woman. If we find ourselves in positions of asking many questions then that should highlight our ignorance on topics such as this. Our voices are now recognised as being in existence if not always heard. It is precisely this area of concern for me regarding the ongoing court case. How much importance did the rights of this particular woman have, what did her own voice look like? Was she deemed 'fit' enough to warrant a voice?

There continues to be areas in life that a woman may feel like she is not whole and complete as an individual and reliant upon the decisions others make. An international stance of women's level of acceptance is prioritised over the individual woman's own level of acceptance. There is more emphasis on what a woman should look like, how she presents self and how she is able to live her life. Women's presence in life can appear to be of magniloquence and being more about intent than the actual. We must not stop at this juncture of women's revolution until we can be sure that a woman is indeed seen and treated as a whole person in her own right.

How To Use Jewelry To Make Your Everyday Office Outfits a Fresh Look?

You might have repeating worn your outfits a number of times. Do you know you can always give them a new life by matching with some gorgeous jewelry to give yourself a fresh look?

Getting a piece of jewelry is easy but to make you stand out (in a good way, of course), and to give people a fresh look can be quite challenging, especially when we are talking about the daily office look. To ease your mind, I've pulled some jewelry to go with some office outfits that we usually have, so that you can see the power of accessorizing.

Earrings

I would say wearing a pair of earrings is a must because the first part people look at you would usually be your face, so you can imagine a little sparkling earrings could make a difference on how people see you or compare you with other ladies who are in the same ordinary office outfits. (Sorry to say that but it's true in this competitive corporate world)

You might not need big earrings non chandeliers, just a small or simple ear studs, ear clips, or even small hoops, would be fine. Amongst all accessories, earrings are the more flexible jewelry in most of the situations, as you don't need much time to mix and match with the outfits. Basically, it's just a match to your face shape and hairstyles, which do not change often. So you can have some basic colors like silver, gold, pearls that can be easily matched to different kinds of outfits.

If you don't yet have your ears pierced, go for it otherwise you will be losing a lot of good times of wearing different kinds of pretty earrings that can make you a lot more charming!

Necklaces

Wearing a necklace is as important as earrings, no matter what kinds of neckline that your outfits are. Imagine when you are sitting in the office, or having lunch or meeting with your colleagues or business partners, your upper part of the body will be the focus. A little piece of jewelry will make you stand out from the other ladies, and people will be more willing to listen to you than the others. However instead of wearing a multi-strands necklace, it's more proper to go for drop necklaces. But in no case you should wear a choker, as seldom it goes well with office attire.

Bracelets

Wearing a watch on one wrist then make it balance by wearing a bracelet on the other side (but definitely not on the same wrist that you wear your watch to avoid any scratches amongst them). Just like the necklace, try to stay away from multi-layered bracelets because it will not just ruin your office look but make you work less comfortable or less convenient. Some simple like pearl bracelet, or silver bracelet with little charms would be good enough.

Rings

Many people asked, "Can I wear more rings on my fingers apart from the wedding ring that I already have?" I would say yes, you can, but no more than two in total, unless you work in a fashionable industry. And the rings that you wear for work should be small and not too dramatic. Colorwise, you can go with some colors that can match with your outfits. Crystals is a good choice too.

You can always create some very interesting or "brand new" look, with the same outfits and jewelry that you have at home, so give it some thoughts on your mix and match! Be Creative!

Last but not least, a professional look is what people looking for or expecting from the corporate world.

So be confident with your look as you can be very presentable.

Competition Between Women - Does Beauty Cause Jealousy?

Women can be so beastly to one another. Women can also be the perpetrators of hate towards other women. Women can instigate and continue a trail of destruction towards another woman.

It can be very uncomfortable to acknowledge that women can act just as aggressively as men and cause the emotional breakdown in others especially towards other women.

There are many diverse and oddly strange reasons for women behaving badly and jealousy is one of those reasons.

When the green eye of envy glares from the pulpit of internal vision in a woman, the results can range from mild verbal contact to being downright unbelievably heinous. Due to jealousy, a woman could temporarily appear insane. Some behaviours include verbal rages appearing irrational and incessant; her stiffened body taut from the venom squeezing from every pore. Jealousy is potent and can destroy both the holder and the receiver.

I covered my perspective on the Beauty Myth in another article but wanted to pay particular attention to jealousy in a woman because of beauty noting the Beauty Myth.

The Beauty Myth looks at the overall impact on women and I will be examining the psychological impact on women. To surmise the concept and explain the Beauty Myth, here is a quick précis.

The Beauty Myth is an allegorical ideology about what a woman should look like to be readily accepted in society. Men, for control over women construct this ideology. The ideology of beauty as in the Beauty Myth is not defined, therefore there are no clear guidelines or demarcation.

There are many ways in which a woman gravitates towards making herself appealing and to appease men and the resulting language, spoken or not, determines how women view themselves. Women then systematically enshrine the essence of the Beauty Myth by plundering themselves to a regime of incessant grooming including the use of surgery, cosmetics and diets. A woman does not have to be aware of the Beauty Myth to be complicit in its language. The control over women by men renders women out of control in mind and body as she strives for attainment of acceptance. Remember, what the actual concept of beauty should look like is not defined! Whilst this is happening locally for women, the woman then sees other women as potential rivals. Women compete with other women vying for the attention from men creating a war on each other that may appear comical to some but is in no doubt very debilitating for women reciprocally.

Women readily accept striving to achieve the 'ideal' weight and maintain this notion even at the risk of their own health. In some contexts, this ideal is nothing short of experimenting with their life. In an attempt to mask over her own lack of self-esteem, a woman may originate a furtive competition with her colleagues, peers and even friends to appear to be the better looking therefore more acceptable to men. Is the archetypal jealous woman real or fictitious? Just take a look around you.

Women eyeing up other women whilst measuring their own selves and sometimes leaving others feeling as though they are below standard. If a particular woman measures against another woman and feels she is more attractive than she perceives her 'rival' to be, just watch her physiology prolifically change in an instant. If she perceives this same 'rival' to be featuring an attribute she is keen to personally gain this same change in her physiology is evident but this time, she retreats within herself. The Omni-presence of the Beauty Myth is indeed powerful even if not understood by its participants. The concept of the Beauty Myth makes women jealous towards other women a certainty.

Throughout my working experiences in some companies, I have sometimes felt it was better to have a man as a manager than a woman. I work passionately to improve women's lives so how can I possibly justify the previous statement? Well, if your female manager is managing her own set of negative self-perceptions and gracelessly views you as having something that she does not, well, put it this way, your working day can be hell. This information should not be taken out of context. Women are able to manage effectively managerial roles, I am speaking about the female manager who may allow her position to denigrate another female based on the idea of perceived threat. I am also admitting, however uncomfortable that women in 'powerful' positions can use this to feather their own pride by reducing another women's intent. The inception of jealousy not just in thought but put into practice has some very untenable traits for the recipient, the acts done against her is nothing short of bullying. Even in an informal group of friends, there is always some kind of rivalry going on, some form of argument stemming from the lack of something, the underbelly being self-esteem. Yet, if we took a look back into the lives of much younger females (ages 4 - 8 years old), you can see a characteristic in them that might explain the neuroticism that follows later on.

Young girls are tenacious; they are determined and self-assured. They can appear bossy and knows how to get their wishes completed. They can manipulate others for their gains without blinking. The young female knows who she is and will fight for control in her circle. (This description is architypically of young females before society teaches them that their voices are not to be heard, another discussion!) Many times, the young female who views herself as mentally and emotionally strong will seek friends who appear to her to be the opposite of her traits. This way, she will continue to reign. When she does befriend another young female who then goes on to outwardly presenting with the same strong traits, they may remain friends but will experience bouts of rivalry towards each other. However, why they would remain as friends needs further explaining. The need to reign is secondary in spiritual terms to the more important aspect of having, nurturing and maintaining friends. This means that whilst the need to reign is strong, this is borne from the pressures put on them from their outside world. The need for friends is borne from their inner world (subconscious) and is much stronger than the need to reign. Young females, growing females and grown females will find a comfortable place with each other that accommodates their rivalry as long as they are friends. So does this mean that the Beauty Myth perpetuates the traits already found in females and uses it against them? In my opinion, most definitely a YES.

The competition between women to beautify self to surpass their 'rival' is not done explicitly. There are no words that are used that determine such acts of rivalry; the competition is clandestine. There are times when a female will depict her sense of being at war when she negatively calls on the 'flaw' of her rival, teasing her about her perceived 'afflictions.' Or when a female has been perceived to have 'achieved' the mythological beauty, the backlash from her peers is all too evident. The sniping, the backbiting or even the silent treatments towards to the poor female are tools that are used to demonstrate the discomfort women feel towards their 'rival' but borne from their own lack of a positive self identity. The need to reign (starting in early age) is ever-present but made more complex when they become older and now also vying for acceptance from men.

Young girls in the playground demonstrably sending some other poor girl 'out to Coventry' merely for having a super pair of shiny shoes that the reigning girl does not. The teenage female who turns on her friend because that boy she likes is not reciprocal with her attention-seeking activities. The new woman at work who makes the standardised corporate uniform look incredibly perceptively sexy even without trying. Supermodels are dicing with their health in an attempt to be the thinnest therefore prettiest amongst her peers. She has learnt that this ensures continuous work for her. Media depict background scenes of the clichéd females behaving beastly towards each other in the same attempt to reign and be accepted. Movie celebrities all seeking the reduced weight as the camera 'puts on pounds' and media shouts out any imperfections on a woman in a public way. Not all publicity is good publicity! Feuds are started by women with other women just because of perceptions based on looks. Especially worsened if the female celebrity is newsworthy and over-exposed. So all women are somehow affected by beauty and can become, coupled with a typically feminine trait, extend into jealousy. The levels to which jealously can extend to, is dependent upon what the attacking female feels she has to gain to extinguish her rival or equally how she much she has to lose.

Here are a few explanations of jealousy:

Fearful or wary of being supplanted; apprehensive of losing affection or position; resentment or bitter in rivalry; having to do with or arising from feelings of envy, apprehension or bitterness; vigilant in guarding something; intolerant of disloyalty or infidelity, autocratic.

The need to feel beautiful therefore accepted by self and others is inextricably linked to having better self-esteem. This increases the competition in and for women. The 'rewards' are both self-serving to women and for men. However, with the Omni-presence of the Beauty Myth makes jealously a sure fire win for men, whoever wins the competition, they cannot lose. Until women build their self-esteem on feelings on individualism, compassion for other women and acceptance of other women and their equally beautiful features, the war with jealousy will continue. The Beauty Myth continues to reign over the female who thinks she reigns. Until women understand that they are men's half-witted sense of delusions and will never aspire to true equality, they remain incarcerated spiritually. The creation of 'the woman' needs to happen and how this is done is by understanding who they are and remove self from men's expectation. Women then need to build up spiritually by becoming aware of their inner resources to begin the trade off with men for equality because at the moment, men do not have to trade with women on equal grounds.

Stylish Prom Dresses - Tips To Choose The Right Dress

Are you getting jittery at the thought of selecting the perfect prom dress? There are many stylish prom dresses you could choose from, but are you certain that you have the one that suits your figure and highlights your strong points? The process of selecting a dress can be quite stressful and can also cause you to have low self-esteem.

The following tips will help you select the perfect dress for your prom. However, you need to start by understanding what the strengths and weaknesses of your appearance are. You need to work on your strengths and hide the body parts that do not look good.

1. If you have a waif-like figure then a layered dress will look perfect on you. The dress should also be in a stiff material such as taffeta. Stay away from this type of dress if you have a full figure; instead opt for a corset dress or an empire waist dress. If you have the perfect hourglass figure then you will look fantastic in a dress that skims your curves. An asymmetrical dress is very fashionable at present but it looks best on slender women.

2. Choose the right color that suits your skin tone. The right color will make you look radiant whereas a color that doesn't suit you will drain luster from your face. Solid colors will also make you appear taller than you actually are. Color blocking might be a popular trend these days, but it is very easy to go overboard with it. You might also look older than necessary if you go for dramatic combinations of dark colors. Candy colors might be a fresh and young looking option.

3. Be very careful when selecting prints. If you are very small then a large print will overwhelm you entirely. Try to stay away from overly dramatic looking animal prints. However, you can accessorize with these prints for a unique look.

4. Do not follow fashions blindly. Try out various types of dresses before you select one that suits your needs. Take a fashion-forward person with you to help select the right dress.

5. The dress you buy ought to be expertly tailored so that it fits you like a glove. A dress that bunches here and there will look ugly and feel uncomfortable.

You'll have a great deal of fun checking out different stylish prom dresses. Just make sure that you wear yours with a great deal of confidence and style.

Are There Medications to Improve Libido Among Women?

Pharmaceutical companies throughout the world are involved in the production of different medications to deal with conditions, which may affect humans and animals. They have been extremely successful in helping beings on this planet to overcome infections and diseases of different varieties. Under the circumstances, it would be surprising to note that they have failed to discover a single medication which can improve libido among women. Even though they have been making attempts they have failed to get approved a single drug which can help women in this regard. The FDA is on record to say that they have not approved any drug for this particular purpose.

Why is it that pharmaceutical companies have failed to discover a medication which will help women enhance their libido? There are a few reasons, which bring our point towards the failure of companies like these. However, they alone cannot be blamed for the failure because the body of a woman goes through several changes, which must also be considered.

A number of issues can reduce the sex drive of a woman. Issues related to the body apart from hormonal imbalances can be part of a reduction in sex drive. Childbirth, issues with the thyroid and menopause can also contribute to this factor. Stress is a common problem with all people comes across at different stages of their lives. Unfortunately, this too can leave behind an effect which will leave women disinterested in sex. Issues of mental health, depression, medications for high blood pressure, birth control pills and antidepressants can also lead to similar problems. Therefore, it can be seen that trying to increase libido among women will require them to take several medications, which will prove difficult.

Nature has managed to provide people what pharmaceutical companies cannot. It is certain that such issues affected women even in the past when modern-day medications were not available. They may have dealt with such issues with the help of herbal concoctions or remedies. There is no doubt that treating loss of libido among women is a difficult task but there is a way by which women can keep their bodies healthy and lead a life which will prove satisfactory in all ways. Supplements made from deer antler velvet are known to increase libido both in men and women. These supplements are a gift of nature and have been used for over 2000 years. There is no reason why women cannot adopt strategies that were used in the past and begin noticing an increased interest in sexual activity. Not only can deer antler velvet supplements improve the libido but can also prove beneficial in a number of ways. Women will not find pharmaceutical grade medications to overcome such issues, but they can definitely depend upon nature to give them an opportunity to rediscover life all over again.

Rediscovering Your Feminine Self

The spirit of femininity is generous, graceful, nurturing, supportive, sensitive, intuitive, and oriented towards love and care. Despite all of these wonderful attributes, feminine energy, especially as it pertains to sexuality, has been suppressed, condemned, and vilified on a global scale for thousands of years. It is no wonder, then, that so often we associate shame, fear, and guilt with sex and sexuality. Through reawakening our feminine energy, we can learn to celebrate our femininity in all its forms and bring greater joy and intimacy into our lives and with ourselves.

Reintegrating our spiritual and sexual selves is an important first step in rediscovering our feminine self. Our culture's separation of these two aspects may be an ill-conceived view and therefore counter to fostering well-being, health, and joy in our bodies, hearts, and spirits. When we bring conscious awareness to the integration of the sexual with the spiritual and the spiritual with the sexual, we return to a sense of wholeness within.

In order to allow healing to occur, we have developed a particular healing practice for the woman that provides her with a rediscovery of her sexual-spiritual connection by teaching her to clear blocks, residual memories, and views that no longer serve her. The word healing is used here in terms of letting go of what keeps her from being fully integrated and whole. She might get in touch with experiences from earlier times in her life that might trigger an emotional process. Energetic blocks, memories, or unpleasant feelings that may have been stored as residual memories on the cellular level of the yoni or vaginal walls may be released so healing can occur and the experience of unity, joy, and harmony within herself can show up.

When Kristy learned about this practice, she had been afflicted by gynecological complications such as recurring yeast infections for many years, which made intercourse extremely painful. She shared that she felt like a "broken" woman and wanted to explore ways in which she could express her sexual self despite her physical concerns. She entered the woman's healing workshop feeling nervous, uptight, scared to open up, and afraid to trust. When it came to choosing a partner for the homework healing practice, she partnered with a most supportive and attentive man. She experienced him as patient and felt that she could slowly open up and begin to trust.

The most impactful experience of the healing ritual was that for the first time Kristy felt her male partner was simply present with and for her, absent of any agenda of his own or expectations of her. Being in this space of acceptance and presence, she could let go of the guilt and shame connected with her yoni and release her sadness and frustration with the pain she had been experiencing. Following the workshop, Kristy felt a sense of aliveness, an inner groundedness, and a newfound confidence she had not had before. To her great surprise, a lot of her physical pelvic pain subsided along with the frequent headaches that had plagued her.

Pole Dancing Fitness For The Bride-To-Be

Most people have heard of pole dancing, and no longer is it treated as the taboo whereby one automatically thinks of strippers and sleazy nightclubs. Truth be told, it is actually a highly acrobatic sport - one that allows for extreme core strengthening, toning and weight loss benefits.

There has been a great trend in the recent years for women planning a bachelorette party to hire a pole-dancing teacher for the day, usually at a certified studio. For an hour or two, the instructor will take the bachelorette party through the various introductory moves. This 'class' is focused on fun and also serves to pique women's interest in pole dancing. Not only will you learn how to sexily wrap your body around a pole, do some basic pole dancing moves and have a bit of fun, but you will also see just how much strength and fitness are required for this sexy sport.

There are many great videos out there that demonstrate the fun and fitness to be had in a pole fitness class. However, need not think that this is only good for a bit of a laugh during a bachelorette party. As the bride, you may just find that this could be your next best fitness secret.

It is possible to burn up to 200 calories in a one-hour class. Not only are you doing a good cardio workout, but you are also taught some pretty impressive moves such as lifting your entire body up onto the pole, hanging upside down and various other interesting moves that make some acrobatics look meek! Not only do pole dance classes contribute to flexibility, core strength, toning and slimming, but they also give you a lot of body confidence. What could be better for a new bride not only to lose weight and tone up, but to have a newfound sense of confidence in her body and the ability to move it!

More and more women are signing up, and becoming addicted to, pole dance classes as a result of having attended a session during a bachelorette party. The results are fantastic and can speak for themselves. Not only are you learning to do things you thought your body would never be able to achieve, but you are gaining a new sense of confidence in the way you move and look! What a treat for your future groom.

If you're the maid-of-honor planning a bachelorette party and you're considering a pole dance class as part of the party - perhaps look into doing so at a studio close to where the bride-to-be lives so that it can be the gift that keeps on giving!