I love this year’s International Women’s History Month theme, #embraceequity. Whether it’s intentional or subconscious, I feel it captures the complexity of the needs that ALL women face today.
When you consider the multitude of intersections we possess, whether it’s related to one’s race, ethnicity, age, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, nationality, physical/mental abilities, religious beliefs, education, marital status, political affiliation, communication style, socio-economic status, zip code, parental status, work and/or life experience, and more, the barriers we face are similar and unique alike.
Because of these varying barriers, we have to be strategic in how we advocate for one another…understanding what may work for one member of the sisterhood might be inadequate for another member. And we can’t fully assess (and resolve) the impact of systemic discrimination and inequities on women without including ALL women in the conversation.
Womens Day Advocacy for All Women
Which means…
⇒ A women-only space cannot be labeled safe if ALL women are not allowed in that space. ⇒ Equal pay for women will not be achieved if some women receive higher wages than their sisters. ⇒ The quality of women’s healthcare will not be enhanced if clinicians are not trained to care for (and respect) ALL women and their bodies. ⇒ Denying trans girls and trans women access to gender affirming healthcare can result in bullying, negative body image and an increase risk of suicidality. ⇒ Restricting trans female athletes from competing on women’s sports teams denies us opportunities to develop self-esteem, camaraderie with teammates and build connections with communities. ⇒ Misogyny will not be defeated if any woman is still being misgendered and pronouns are not respected or affirmed. ⇒ Refusing to acknowledge ALL women in the rulebooks of feminism makes it difficult to apply the narratives we work so hard to rewrite.
Women's Resiliency
These are just a few examples of why we must come together as diverse, resilient women, because We ARE ABSOLUTELY STRONGER TOGETHER. It takes ALL of us to create a society where all women have the opportunity to flourish, thrive and prosper. As women, we can raise each other up and embrace our unique personalities and traits because we know when one rises, we all rise!