In the future we see, Feminine Futures, women and girls are revered.

Men held the reins of power for millennia in a reliance on hard power— military might, brute force, transactional relationships, and dominance. This stance proved disastrous in the long run. Women, whose oft-cited qualities of creativity and flexibility had been muted, are called upon to create a new way of being in community. Instead of going hard, they go soft— seeing beyond immediacy, they build and plan relationally for a mutual flourishing. By focusing on shared challenges and enlisting both individual people’s unique gifts and collective efforts, they move past an age of anxiety and isolation punctuated by competition and individual exceptionalism. From their success in the face of long odds, women are heralded for their contributions to society. Here are some of the artifacts in this future.

AGED COSMETICS: THE FUTURE IS HERE

pro-wrinkle cream

The oldest women in society are venerated because of their experience and wisdom. Because of their life stage, women no longer strive for personal accolades or seek approval, rendering them exempt from the regular rules of social engagement. Youth and its accompanying beauty are appreciated, as every age of a woman’s life is, but the elderly are held in particular esteem. For younger women eager for this status, there is AGED cosmetics, so they no longer have to wait. Instantly they can look 60, 72, 90. The AGED tagline: The Future is Here.

BIG SISTER

care program

In earlier eras, sophisticated algorithms and artificial intelligence monitored data collected from smart homes and phones so the people, whose information it was, could be sold to, manipulated, and controlled. In the Feminine Futures era, data is used with the users’ approval for wellness and care. The BIG SISTER app is linked to a smart home (smart fridge, smart couch, etc.) to recognize a drastic change in behavior. For example, if a woman who usually sits on her couch for an hour or two a week begins sitting or lying there for days—the BIG SISTER app notifies an elder woman to check in. If warranted, the elder will invite the person to an in-person meetup or group activity. The program is useful not only for recent relocators, but for everyone, upon occasion.

SHAMELESS PANTS

participatory-morphing garment

Due to women’s awesome ability to reproduce, men carry a sense of awe and wonder for women’s bodies. Similarly, women view their bodies’ natural functions as a source of pride. Young men and women alike choose to wear SHAMELESS PANTS. Should the situation arise where a menstruating woman stains her clothes, everyone in the vicinity/classroom/office activates a pull-cord to stain their pants too, to prevent a backslide to the times when women’s bodies were viewed as sources of shame.

WOMEN-A-PAUSE

alert system to respect older women

Even in this era, young adults are captivated by their devices (phone, glasses, chip, etc). Using ancient AirDrop/Bluetooth technology, phones are alerted when an older woman and her device appear nearby. A five-second pause ensues and allows enough time for a friendly nod or simple acknowledgment to recognize women’s contributions and the particular woman in range.

PLEASURE-GAP RING SYSTEM

jewelry that compares orgasm counts

Before Feminine Futures, there was a significant and persistent orgasm gap between men and women in heterosexual relationships. In a patriarchal society of oppression, men and their accompanying needs and desires were prioritized. The PLEASURE-GAP RING SYSTEM addresses this form of inequality. Both parties in the couple wear a ring with a number of mutable parts that communicates information. When the two people have the same number of orgasms, all bumps face outward. When there is a gap, a nodule turns inward for the person with the pleasure advantage. As the gap grows, the number of nodules turning inward grows, making the ring increasingly uncomfortable for the wearer. If the gap reaches the maximum number of available nodules, the inward nodules change shape from a round bump into spikes.

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