Meek Vs. Weak: The Inaccurate Portrayal of true Femininity

In a fiery conversation with my Dad, I vented my frustration about the toxic Catholic woman

narrative I keep seeing on Instagram and hearing on various podcasts. From what I gathered from certain content creators, being a good, devoted, and submissive Catholic woman means being weak, quiet, mild, and having almost no desire beyond raising a family. This made me feel inadequate and like I could never live up to this ideal nor did I want to.

I’m passionate, opinionated, and prefer leading over following. I even want to be a dairy farmer, which isn’t exactly considered the most feminine job.

During our discussion about how this narrative made me feel like a bad Catholic woman, my

Dad finally had enough. He snapped, “Do you honestly think your mother was weak?” Of

course, I said no. He went on to explain the difference between weak and meek. “Meekness is about being receptive without resistance. It’s not the same as being weak. A weak person doesn’t raise eight kids who are all firm in their morals and faith. And her impact on others outside our family is far greater than you realize.”

That really made me pause and reflect, especially on the idea of receptivity. A woman’s unique way of connecting with others requires real strength. To truly receive someone, you share in their burdens. That’s definitely not for the faint-hearted. These creators on social media were either inaccurate OR just simply didn’t explain the entirety of the idea they were trying to portray. Although I don’t remember many of my mom’s qualities, I’ve been blessed with seven incredible examples of what it means to be a woman of God in my older sisters. Her femininity lives on through them, and I get to experience it through their lives.

Each of my sisters is living out her God-given vocation in remarkable ways. Being a strong and faithful woman means being bold with conviction like Melanie, empathetic and wise like Kristin, driven and charismatic like Leah, selfless and hardworking like Hannah, ingenious and

productive like Maria, genuine and methodical like Abby, and compassionate and adaptable like Angela.

These women have shown me the true meaning of the feminine genius. We can be sensitive and strong without compromising either quality. Our identity as women isn’t defined by social media or comparisons but by our unique roles as daughters of God.

- Your sister in Christ, Maggie