On International Women’s Day this year, I want to honor the little girl in me. The girl who used to be stubborn, impulsive, and restless. The girl once known more for her masculinity than her femininity—dominating, controlling, rebellious. The girl who loved being the provider, the builder, the fixer. Who preferred pants over dresses. Who never hesitated to stand up for the underdog, to take risks, to speak out. The girl who never quite fit in. I’ve also seen this same girl—w

There are many things that come to mind when we talk about feminine energy, and one of them is the immense strength and power in softness. Being a Vietnamese woman means I grew up celebrating today which is Vietnamese Women’s Day every year back home, but I didn’t fully grasp how it’s shaped who I am, despite the joy of always receiving gifts for the occasion. Our country has overcome so many wars that someone as privileged as me, born in peacetime, can only try to understand