I Throw Like A Girl

Disclaimer this post is mainly for the ladies, but guys…you might want to read this to understand your sisters-in-Christ a bit more.

We’ve heard the “insult” thrown around “you throw like a girl”. If you haven’t, great; if you have, I feel ya. When I was growing up, (and even still today) I got along better with guys than with other girls. I made friends easier with boys, I liked the same things boys liked, I even hated wearing dresses. So this phrase, needless to say, ticked me off. If someone said it, I’d in turn show them what throwing like a girl really meant. (Don’t worry I never threw a baseball at some one’s face…I think). To me, I used to have this idea that being feminine meant being weaker, dressing prettier, and acting “proper”.

One day after one of my basketball games in middle school (pretty sure we won btw), my friend’s dad came up to chat with me and my mom before he left. He was complimenting how good I was, and said how amazed he was that I could be so aggressive and intense on the court, and then come out of the game a sweet lady. At first I was like, “UM WHAT IS THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?!?!” But as I thought about it, and especially now that I’m older, I realized what he meant. He wasn’t saying the second I stopped playing I became this weakling of a girl, he was saying that just because I can be tough and strong, doesn’t mean I am any less feminine.

We live in this world that tells us that to be feminine means to wear pretty dresses and do our hair nice. Is that bad, HECK NO! Dresses are the comfiest clothing I own! But that’s not the black and white definition of being feminine or being a woman!

In 1988 Pope Saint John Paul II wrote an Apostolic Letter on “The Dignity and Vocation of Women” that you can read here. In this letter, he talked about something he called the feminine genius. This means that even though woman and men are completely equal in dignity, they are also different. We as women have certain characteristics that sets us apart from men, and, guess what, that’s an awesome thing! Now men have these same characteristics don’t get me wrong. However, traits like motherhood, authenticity, and sensitivity tend to be stronger in women. Ok hold on, don’t get too upset by the last one! Pope Saint John Paul writes, “from the beginning of Christ's mission, women show to him and to his mystery a special sensitivity which is characteristic of their femininity” (MD 16). The women of the Bible were the first people at the Christ’s tomb, the first to find it empty, the first to embrace his feet, and the first to announce His resurrection. On such women, was St. Mary Magdalene. Her relationship with Christ was especially close. Her sensitivity isn’t weakness, instead her characteristics as a woman have people calling her the “apostles of the Apostles” (MD 16)! That sounds pretty extraordinary to me.

The bottom line is, as a woman, it doesn’t matter if you hair is cut short or long, if your favorite outfit is sweats and a t-shirt or a cute floral dress. Being a woman means living first for Christ and what he has called you to. It means loving who God made you to be and using the beautiful gifts God blessed you with to change the world for the better. It means making a gift of yourself for the good of the Kingdom. That’s what being a woman means; that’s what femininity is. If you’re still unsure, then don’t take my word for it. Saint Pope John Paul II knows what’s up:

"In the Spirit of Christ, in fact, women can discover the entire meaning of their femininity and thus be disposed to making a "sincere gift of self" to others, thereby finding themselves.”

~Pope Saint John Paul II, Mulieris Dignitatem 31

If you want to read the full Apostolic letter click here.

If this link takes you to the main page of the website,

change the language to English (Unless you want a challenge).

Find the pictures of the Popes toward the bottom of the home page, click John Paul II, click on where it says website, then follow Apostolic Letters->1988-> Mulieris Dignitatem (second page).

About the Author

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Maria Barone

I’m just your typical Italian-American, Buffalo-born, puppy-lovin’, adventure seeking, Catholic girl that actually isn’t that typical. I’m always ready to travel the world and learn new things while staying true to myself, my roots, and my faith. If you wanna see just how crazy I am go ahead and follow me on instagram @ria21993 or on Pinterest at ria223!

#likeagirl #femininity #women #catholic #teen #faith #JohnPaulII