Tomorrow is International Women's Day and it always makes me reflective. It can be difficult to raise the profile of one section of society without it feeling as though we are taking from another, I think this is true with lots of things in life, it can feel that if one person or community gains something that it is at the expense of another, more, or at least equally deserving. I understand this. I am an only child and so I have always struggled with sharing and division of resource, it is sad though.
I thought twice before writing my thoughts about International Women's Day as I do not want to unintentionally offend or exclude those who do not feel that this speaks to them. I ask you to think though about the women in your life, parents, extended family, children, friends and partners. The meaning these women bring to you, love, care, joy. Also think maybe about the times they have struggled and what might have made that easier.
My own experience as a women has been very much coloured by my generation. I was raised very differently from many of my friends but still I was influenced by the media and context of the time. Almost invisible, it is everywhere and nowhere, hard to put your finger on! The Disney princesses, the pop stars and films of the day, the fashion and the explicit objectification. I recently watched a film with my daughters which I had seen as a teenager and the gendered narrative was so alarming that we turned it off! Likewise a pantomime I took them too whilst on holiday a couple of Christmases ago, my elder daughter asked to leave as she wasn't comfortable with the overt sexualising and messaging.
I am grateful that there is a new script emerging for the next generation and it is, in part due to initiatives such as International Women's Day where we can focus on what women are and what they can be. As I hear often, we can not be what we can not see.
So a big shout out to all women out there and all those who know one !