Anytime is a great time to celebrate the women in our lives, however, women are in the spotlight in March, not only with the celebration of International Women’s Day, but also Women’s History Month in the US and Mother’s Day in the UK (March 22).
While UIO podcast is dedicating this week to celebrating 10 inspiring women that have changed history, I thought it was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate a few fabulous women who have touched the course of my life, some of them I have admired from afar and others have been quite up close and personal. Certainly, there have been a few good men, too, but now is a perfect time to give women their props.
The first woman who had a great influence on me was my mother. Not only was she a great nurturer, she was also a great role model. Through her, I learned the importance of independence. One of the few women of her times who worked outside of the home, she brought home more than the bacon. She brought home a way of thinking that set me on a path to dream beyond our front doorstep. And it was her sister who had dared to move a way, yet another fantastic woman who touched my life early on.
Shaping History
From an educational standpoint, there were many, perhaps too many to name here, but one was my first grade teacher, a beautiful young African American woman, whose presence was enough to make me love school. And then there was a favourite professor in college (university) who unreservedly loved Maya Angelou so much that her fascination became contagious. If I had any doubts about becoming a writer, the doubts ended with my new love affair. And so, I began to read literature voraciously.
Still I wanted to try my hand at journalism. And interestingly enough it was an ambitious young woman who led me to my first newspaper job. Without her recommendation, it might have never happened. And yet another amazing female mentor encouraged me to go to New York. Without her I am fairly sure I would not have made the move. And during my stint in New York, I was surrounded by amazing women, too many to name here, but two of them my bosses, opened many doors for me, left and right.
Admittedly, it was rare that I understood the positive influence that most of these women had on me when it was happening, but on one particular occasion, I was so impressed by one woman that I see her even today in my mind’s eye. I sort of know what she was wearing when I laid eyes on her, a silk blouse with a tailored suit, though I am sure I have changed the colour over the years. She stands tall in all of her colour, forever positively influencing me.
It was her message, without saying a word, that she was every woman, if you will, and therefore, I could be so, too. A change maker indeed and a history shaper, too. Even if her name never appears in a history book, it’s indelibly etched in my mind’s eye, like all the women who have touched me personally.
What a pleasure it is to celebrate women who have changed history globally and locally. Share your stories here in the spirit of celebration.
Though women and teenage girls are experiencing unprecedented pressures to be perfect, to be happy all the time, we girls remain amazing and there is no better time to be a woman, a girl and to celebrate.
Celebrating womanhood is appropriate any time of the year but during March, Women’s History Month, honouring and celebrating women is a daily event, not to mention the excitement of International Women’s Day, March 8.
Appropriately so, we have re-released our Identity podcast, a wonderful celebration of identifying as a female. Sisterhood co-founders Rachita and Rebecca talk about the wonderful girl cell that we ladies have.
“The girl cell is your super power. “
Ever since I heard this emancipating statement, I have been in fifth gear, encouraging teenage girls to reject the modern pressures in their lives, posing as necessary, norms that will serve them now and forever more.
Hence, our wait awhile initiative, starting its third week of life. With alarming statistics revealing that some teenage girls are actually getting non-medical cosmetic surgery, I have had endless conversations and queries about the matter. How can this be happening? Are these procedures legal, etc?
One growing concern I have is that the real point of this statistic–teenage girls are being forced to grow-up too soon– is lost on society. It some ways it appears that the story is yet another sensational piece, detaching it from real girls. Not so fast!
The reality is that real teenage girls have had their lips done several times to make them bigger, had fillers in their mouth so gums don’t show when they smile, fillers in their nose so they can contour it, had numerous injections in their bottoms, and Botox from the age of 16.
This is real life, not reality television, impacting the lives of a generation of girls who are making these choices under pressure, often blaming the social media culture in which they live. Social media has a lot to answer for, which is why we are supporting The Telegraph’sduty of care campaign and calling on the Government with as many strokes of the pen as we can to make social media a safe space for teenage girls.
But social media alone is not the only problem. Our girls are growing up under the influence of modern pressures on and off media. Our research corroborates that some of the pressure are systematic, if you will.
So change is needed inside, out if you will. Meanwhile, we are saying to teenage girls: embrace your girl cell, your super power, use it to strengthen your identity. Follow your passions and side step things that will likely lead to regret and enjoy the good stuff about being a girl and as for the good stuff about being a woman, await awhile. It will come.
For more tips on identity, check out Your Identity Inside Out and tap into your girl cell, your very own superpower.
