FemaleHood
Being a woman is learning
how to exist loudly
in a world that prefers you quiet.
It is carrying questions in your body,
answers in your silence,
and still choosing softness.
It is remembering yourself
even when the world tries to name you first.
It is becoming,
every single day,
without permission.
– By AJ Pearl
aka Aisosa Joseph
Instagram: SheIsAJPearl
My name doesn’t matter. What matters is what happened, because it happens to many of us. I grew up in a small village, thinking I’d marry young, have kids, and farm the land like my mother and her mother before her. It was the only life I knew then.
Then…
Have you ever felt alone in a crowd — with your family, friends, or even your partner?
If so, you’re not alone. That was me too. I often felt lonely, and no matter what I did, nothing seemed to cure my unique case of loneliness. I tried surrounding myself with…
Gardening has always been a significant part of my life and family story. When I was growing up, it provided us with food security and became a source of income for my mother, who sold vegetables to support our household. Later, it played another meaningful role in my family…
My dearest Bophelo,
Born on women’s day You arrived on this earth on a day that celebrates the strength, resilience, and beauty of women. I’m so grateful to be your mom, and I’m honored to watch you grow and thrive.
Bophelo, you are life itself to me. You bring joy, love,…
I became my mother’s caregiver when I was just four years old.
My mother was from Opuwo, in the Kunene region of Namibia. When I was four, she became very ill. In our area, people strongly believed in witchcraft. They thought her sickness was caused by something supernatural, something that…