At the tender age of 15 I struggled with my identity. The ruminating thoughts that drained me weekly - Am I too skinny? Am I pretty enough? Am I smart enough? Did said boy fancy me? 15 years later and it troubles me that I am still asking myself the same questions. 15 whole years. Why am I still dissilusioned about my existence - and why do I still allow society to have such an effect on me?
When I ask myself what womens empowerment means - an array of answers fill my mind. Strangely enough equality is not the first to plague me - not in it's entirerity that is. I lean strongly towards the notion of feeling at peace with myslef, with my feminine-hood, my female makeup and overall being. That combined with the barbaric misogynistic idiots that have me seething over discussions of our abortion rights, female genitial mutilation, domestic abuse, trafficking and all round disrespect - I am whole heartedly committed to empowering myself, my daughter and my sisters.
"There is no tool for development more effective than the empowerment of women."
– Barack Obama, 44th US President
The female population constitutes for almost half of the worlds population, which is daringly ironic as we receive half of nothing. So why after 50 years of empowerment are we still not getting what we deserve? Why are we still being mistreated and dismissed as second class citizens?
Women are beautiful, inspirational, a phenomenon almost - so when will society see this? Leaders and infuential people both now and in history have been proclaiming the virtue of the women for some time - but their words are still taking some time to resigntae and dilute into society.
“It’s time to EMPOWER – to RESTORE the inherent POWER of girls and women, which has been denied for generations.”
– Jin In, Founder 4GGL
So what will we do? What will you do? As women, we have no choice but to take lead and form our own coalition. One of sincere sisterhood, that will empower, stregthen, educate and continue to reign for our daugters. A reign that will be heard, seen and felt with deep force and meaning. Let's remember to stand forward and speak on our beliefs, values and identities. This is our time - and it means so much.