Article is by C.J Npowa

Ladies, in the eyes of “some” men, you are not very different from the cars they drive, hence the terms: checking her out, riding her, she’s got a nice hood, amongst the many terms used.

Now before any of you strong independent women take offense to this article that can be viewed as objectifying women, allow me to preface it. I grew up surrounded by men. I was the only girl among 4 brothers, 3 of which were older than me. I mostly hung out with men and I got the privilege of being in the ‘know’. Therefore, I often write from their perspective so that my sisters may be well advised in advance. That being said…

If we look at my earlier statement through their eyes, they are four categories of vehicles that you can belong to:

1 – A rental – Men rent you at a price (inexpensive or expensive, your choice) and return you to the lot once they are done.

2 – A taxi – Men come and go inside of you, bringing their baggage along, sometimes leaving their garbage behind, rewarding you very little for your time or service and ruining in the long run. And sadly, when you are tired and tattered, you will be disposed of as he never cared much. You were just a means to an end.

3 – A used car: You can be someone’s left-over, your value reduced to a fraction of who you truly are. You are overlooked because people wonder what could be wrong with you that the first owner was willing to part with you. And sadly, the older you get the less desirable you are.

4 – A brand new car: Shiny and brand spanking new, straight out of the dealership (could be your parents’ house), no scars, no baggage, no damage, no mileage, full warranty, no previous owner meaning no preset buttons, FULL VALUE. Everyone admires and celebrates such a car.  It is beautiful inside and out. Any suitor, potential owner knows that the only way to take her out is with a chaperon, not too far from the dealership and bring her right back on time and undefiled.   The owner of that car will treat her with respect, love and pride. He will love her, care for her and maintain her. She will be called “my baby” (noticed how men call their beloved car my baby).

Sadly, most of the times, no one throws a party for a rental, a taxi or a used car. But a new car gets all the admiration, accolades and will most likely get to carry the owner’s name.

That being said, as the strong women we are, we don’t have to be anything we don’t want to or live by anyone’s definition but our own. Regardless of where we may stand on that list (as we all have a past),  we must remember that with God, the ultimate dealership, everything can be made new again. Any of us can return to the dealership and let HIM wash us clean, bling us out, customize us for the right one, put a warranty on us and restore us to our true value. The choice is ours!  Let’s take matter into our own hands and not allow ourselves to be treated like anything but the best!