What does it actually mean to be or become “woman”?

In this episode of The Unwritten Aesthetic, Reese and Lauren go full “chaos mode philosophy,” unpacking what it means to grow up under the “myth of woman” — the stories we’re told about femininity, beauty, success, and self-worth — and how those stories still shape our choices today.

They explore the cycles of shame and creativity that define early adulthood, the paradox of feminism in the “post-girlboss” era, and why existentialism might be the key to living authentically in a world obsessed with performance.

From body image and dance teachers to sex work, motherhood, and the question of freedom, this is a raw, funny, and deeply reflective conversation about how we learn, unlearn, and redefine what it means to be human.

This one’s for anyone navigating the space between who you were told to be and who you’re becoming.

Welcome to The Unwritten Aesthetic, where the intellectual rigor of philosophy meets the creative pursuit of an artful life. A place for two friends to be passionate about philosophy as an artistic pursuit, ask life’s most important questions, create something we believe in, and to be two silly gooses.

Be a part of the Collective and tune in to The Unwritten Aesthetic every other Tuesday.

To find Lauren's work: https://www.laurenbushpaints.com/

To work with Reese: https://www.thecoherecollective.com/coherent-design

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References and Resources:

The Second Sex by Simone de Beauvoir: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/457264.The_Second_Sex

With artful Coherence,

Reese and Lauren