The Power Of The Arscott Woman.

To some, last names are just that — last names. But to me, my last name represents so much more. Many women opt to change their last names after marriage, but I choose to keep mine. There are stereotypes about men whose wives retain their surnames after marriage. “ The idea of a woman changing her name when she marries is tied up to a lot of the romantic ideas we have about love and marriage. It’s viewed as a signal of devotion and love for their spouse” — But let’s be honest, there are stereotypes about everything that a woman does, especially if it does not fall under the Patriarchal agenda.

The Arscott gene is dominant, and to me, it represents generations of strength and hardship. And while there are many elements to my family, I wanted to take a moment to acknowledge the women, from my grandmother to aunts to cousins. I have always been truly inspired by the effortless power the ladies of my family just exude; they are women who had lived hard lives and came out the other side swinging. The Arscott women are another type of fearless; they have been braving the world that’s filled with stigmas and social standards for many generations.

Arscott women are hardworking, stubborn, bold, tenacious, courageous, loving, confident, daring, and self-sufficient. Every one of us is independent and has made beautiful lives for ourselves. My grandmother included, she is wise beyond her 100 years, can you imagine? She overflows with wisdom, is tough and strict, but she is entirely selfless, she’s forgiving, intuitive, and expressive. She has had her last rites given to her several times — she is a survivor. My grandmother is so strong, and I hope that she knows she has paved the way for more generations of strong Arscott women.

We are the type of women that take care of ourselves, raise children on our own, support ourselves, conquer cancer, conquer illnesses, we heal from sickness, over and over. We are resilient. We are the type of women that always stand up for ourselves, and we have voices. We are heard. I see a little piece of every Arscott woman in me; I see her strength everywhere. I am me because of the strong women in my life, and with strong women, come the extremely supportive male figures in my life that have always encouraged me to be fierce. They have taught me to have thick skin, to be outspoken, to fight — both figuratively and literally (sometimes), and always to stand my ground.

“Here’s to strong women. May we know them. May we be them. May we raise them.” — Unknown