“IWD 2022: Make It Stop, Make It Make Sense!”
It’s International Women’s Day 2022 today, and indifferent is what I am…
While it’s a time of the year I look forward to by virtue of the work we do at Indwelt Studios; PR campaigns/events and content that highlights women’s achievements which I’m usually excited about for obvious reasons.
However, this year, my thoughts took a different depth! Whilst I worked on briefs in alignment with this year’s theme! I dug deeper, explored previous themes and even went as far as looking at the events different organizations had previously put together for IWD.
I watched YouTube videos, initially fascinated by the all-women panel with profiles that shot through the roof, all looking nice and sharp, adjusted my seat, pulled my note and pen closer ready to take “notes to self,” alas, I still have throbbing questions!
Some of the longstanding issues women have brought to the spotlight; in the work place, the home front, in the church/mosque etc. require not so subtle conversations, and I had singled out IWD as a day where we would at least dare to have these conversations.
DO NOT GET ME WRONG! These panels are usually intellectual and I did take some notes. However, my disappointment stemmed from the fact that this time of the year calls for some level of truth, deep reflection and calling out!
I assume it’s a time for us to call out bad behavior in all its glory, gender bias, discrimination, exclusion, unequal pay, yada, yada, yada…
Let me categorically state that while this message always looks like its directed at a particular gender, you see this bias we’re calling out; it’s in all of us, and for all of us;
- The men who “let” women rise the rank but treat the position they have earned like a favor granted and haunt them with the “favor”
- The women who oppress other women
- The ones who cannot “dare” to take instructions from women
- The ones who think a woman greedy because she dared to ask for more
- The ones who don’t understand nothing, and do not seek to learn (your lack of knowledge is adding to these biases and world problems at large!)
…and the list is endless!
When you find your bullet point above, write your name against it and make a decision to do better….
For 2022, and beyond, I challenge you to not wait for March 8 but seek to pose throbbing questions…
That you talk about the things that make you uncomfortable
That you look the biases in the face and call it out
That you…ask, ask and ask! Call out bad behavior like the ridiculous trend recently going round questioning a woman’s choice of where and how she chooses to mind her child…
You people, really?
Having had a background in engineering, and not just a background, I actually worked as a Civil Engineer for a number of years before fully responding to my love for communications, one of the things I was clear about on embarking on this journey was the fact that I didn’t want any female I’d have the privilege to influence go through half of the things I went through by just being a “working woman.”
Side note: “Females in Construction/Engineering (STEM)” Your voice isn’t loud enough! Sigh
I’ve left “you people” but I’d love to help you tell your stories…
This isn’t all there is, and we need to stop the conversations around “It’s a great time to be a woman, yada yada yada,” rather Make it make sense!!!
Its always a great time to be a woman, the only problem is you, you’re the bias that has refused to unlearn and relearn.
While we’re at this too, my heart reaches out to #WomeninUkraine whose lives have been disrupted by the current happenings! #ThisTooWillPass
Happy International Women’s Day;
To Women who show up daily against all odds, and top of the list would be the Women I daily work with at Indwelt Studios who continue to show incredible strength of character!
And to the phenomenal women around the world;
When you see a bias, break it. You Rock, as you!
Side note: To all the men who are posing for wakanda pictures today, when you see the bias , break it too (even if the bias is you)!