Handle with care

For thousands of years, the woman and the female body in concept have been described or characterized as something weak or fragile. The idea has been presented in different contexts; even in the Bible the concept is found through the verse: "You, husbands, likewise, live with them wisely, giving honor to the woman as a more fragile vessel, and as joint heirs of the grace of life, so that your prayers have no hindrance" (1 Peter 3:7 - KJV). Other examples mention the fact that the woman is weak in mind or judgment; presented through various cultures and historical moments, one of the most recognized being the witch hunt in Salem Massachusetts for 1692 - 1693. It is important to emphasize that to this day, the basis of this ideal continues to exist. The woman continues to be seen as something fragile and weak, to the point that each woman has had to listen to all the warnings that urge them to protect themselves and be afraid to live in their own bodies.
Where does this ideal come from? Why do we have it in the first place? What prevents women from being calm in their own bodies? All these questions can be resolved with a single word: misogyny. Every human being, regardless of their sex or physique, is mortal. Each one of us will die of something, be it old age or unnatural causes. That's why it doesn't make sense that women are the only ones with this fear of simply existing. A man can value his own life and not get into situations that he knows can be dangerous, meanwhile, a woman should not only worry about those situations, but also be alert even if she is going to carry out the most mundane action. Millions of women have been attacked, raped or murdered for just existing; the vast majority of these were not even in a “dangerous” situation. Misogyny and the patriarchy have led women to live in constant fear; since if you investigate the reason behind most attacks, it's men. It is thanks to men and their need to be better that women have had to feel less or be less, all to stay alive.
It was through this piece "Handle with care" that I wanted to represent this ideal of the fragile and weak woman; represented by a woman made of glass, who has labels on her face and body describing her as a “fragile” package which must be handled with care or else it could “break”. The woman has an expression of sadness or rather apathy, having grasped the fact that this is all she is, someone who must tread life carefully or get hurt. It's for this reason that the piece shows the woman seeing herself in a mirror, it can be interpreted as preparing herself, going through this ritual every day, or she could be admiring what the world has made her believe.
We're all mortal, we'll all die from something. This doesn't mean we should go through life worried that any setback could break us to the point of never recovering. A woman is not the weakest or most fragile human being, and neither is she something pure or innocent that should be coveted by those who wish to “stain” it. Every person should wake up in the morning, look at their delicate skin and not think about how they should hide it, but how they'll improve and shine it until it radiates.

“Handle with care”
Oil paint on canvas
19 ½” x 19 ½”
2022