Joan of Arc endures because she represents a psychological dilemma many people quietly live with. What happens when your inner knowing does not match what the world will allow? What happens when listening to yourself costs you belonging, safety, or approval?

At its core, patriarchy values power over presence. It teaches us to relate through control, hierarchy, and rigidity rather than through curiosity, vulnerability, and collaboration. It hands us roles to perform instead of inviting us into relationships where we can be seen and met as our full selves.

Learning you perpetuate misogyny may stir up some emotions but please don’t let this be something else you beat yourself up about. It’s not your fault. Our society operates with a hatred of women and has operated with this hatred for centuries. It’s hard not to be affected by it. However, by even acknowledging it’s there, you’re working to unravel the cultural hex that seems to have been placed upon us all and you’re contributing to the rising divine feminine. Doing so results in a better world for us all.

Not that long ago, cross-dressing was the brunt of many jokes. It was considered the height of hilarity to put a man in a dress and heels or a woman in a too-large man’s suit. Some younger people who may be reading this might have a hard time fathoming such a reality, depending on your social circle and location.