Philosophy

Who Is A Renaissance Woman?

You, most likely. And your friends. And their friends and their friends' friends too!

This site is a celebration of womanhood for the 21st century. It was originally inspired by some news features during last year, claiming that women were sick and tired of the immense pressure they felt to be not only perfect mothers, glamorous partners, and hold down a successful career, but to now aspire to the manufactured fantasy of the lifestyle gurus forever present on television and in magazines and newspapers.

When was someone going to acknowledge the fact that today's women are, in fact, quite unbelievably accomplished, hard-working and bright, in a way that has no historical equal? Women alive today have already surpassed their fore-mothers tenfold in terms of knowledge, achievement, awareness of the world around them and contribution to the universe as we know it.

So what exactly do I mean by this term, 'Renaissance Woman'?

Webster's Dictionary defines a "Renaissance man" in these words: "A person who has wide interests and is expert in several areas."

Transpose that sentence to the lives of women today and you will see what I mean: the so called 'average' woman is really no such thing. She may be a mother, she may not. She's invariably a hard worker, and may have proved herself in several different fields of employment. She may speak foreign tongues fluently, be a dab hand with computer technology or have a deep interest in art or literature. Perhaps she's into astronomy, salsa, rock-climbing or classical music. She'll certainly surprise you at the local pub quiz.

The beauty of the Renaissance Woman is that she can NEVER be neatly pigeon-holed. No style guru invented her - she is her own, most marvellous, creation.

Even though today we are so much, it seems incredible that so many of us still regard ourselves as unworthy or in some way lacking. There have never been so many aspirational and lifestyle publications on the market: 'do this' or 'behave like that' and you too can garner admiration and approval from your family and friends. Today, we already have a thousand different roles to play, and most of us are doing a damned good job of it.

Relax. A Renaissance Woman doesn't have to try and slavishly copy the lifestyle goddesses - she already knows that she is enough.

Incidentally, have you noticed how it is never mentioned that the TV superwomen invariably have an army of nannies, au pairs, home economists, cleaners, gardeners and other 'little people' to deal with all the dirty business of life? Whilst she may not be high-born or wealthy, the Renaissance Woman invariably has an abundance of common sense and coping techniques that the pampered superwoman should envy.

A Renaissance Woman is not afraid in the least to draw on the many labour-saving products, devices and techniques on offer today. She might know, for instance, that the addition of half a tin of Heinz chicken soup to her own home-made broth will improve the taste five-fold, and she sure isn't going to feel like she's let the side down.

So this is what I am about. Some people may think this is some sort of 'cheat's cookbook'. That is missing the point. I don't consider someone as having cheated AT ALL if they have made the effort to shop, prepare, cook and serve a meal, and what ends up on the table is tasty and hits the spot. Read this and you'll never feel guilty again.

Long live the Renaissance Woman. She is everywhere - and she's here to stay.