Are you proud to be a woman?
In celebration of International’s Women’s Day on the 8th March 2020, I would like to address this to all woman around the world!
Let this be a reminder of all of the great things women have achieved in the world and a celebration of how successful women have become over the years.
Let me take you back to the past first.
The times had been very hard for women. Back in the days’ women had no right to work. As a matter of fact, only in 1880 the law introduced allowing a married woman to keep their earnings.
Only in 1918 – just over a hundred years ago, women had received a right to vote in the UK.
The breakthrough in the UK’s history was, in my opinion, 1979 where for the first time ever a woman has become a Prime Minister. Margaret Thatcher. Strong, smart and brave woman led the parliament and inspired so many women.
Ever since we have seen many changes in woman’s rights like:
– Statutory Maternity Pay (1986) allowing women to get paid leave for the time of looking after their newborns.
-in 1997 we saw the first woman on the board of directors of an FTSE100 company, Pearson in the role of CEO
-2010 equality act was introduced meaning women could no longer be harassed or bullied in the workplace
-2018 the gender pay gap is being tackled where larger companies will have to publish their gender pay gaps
We have more woman leaders than ever before. According to statistics in 2018- 23.7% of women were CEO’s and seniors officers. We can notice the shift in political parties too where more women joined them (32% as of 2018).
More than 2/3 women are in employment (72%) making this the highest figure since 1971 (when the record began).
These relate to the workplace improvement but we have seen how over the last few decades woman really did come a long way.
Other facts
Just a century ago women could not take a credit card or a loan.
They could not prosecute their husbands for rape! That’s insane come to think of it.
For many years women had protested against many unfair treatments and equal rights.
We now live in the years where all this hard work has started to pay off and as never before we are treated in many ways the same as men are.
My husband argues that woman have more rights than man nowadays. When a woman gets to divorce a man, she (in most cases) gets to keep the house, the kids, and the man has to carry on contributing towards the kid’s upbringing. If a woman accuses a man of rape, he will be shamed and disbelieved even before he can prove his innocence. So in his opinion men has much less regard as a woman in the eyes of law at least.
In a way, I can see his point, but men (in general) has “earned” how they are being perceived after so many cases against them. The reputation gained over the years of men disrespecting, discriminating and underestimating women has backfired on them. Ever hear of Karma?
I believe men today aren’t the same as they were back in the days.
Men have become more involved in raising the kids, looking after the house and being more implicated in family life as a result of the shift of the changes that have happened over the past century.
My dad, uncles or granddad had never changed nappies or stayed back home looking after kids so that their wives could go to work or socialise. They had never cleaned the house or cooked much. My husband (and I know many of my friend’s partners too) is (nearly) as much involved in raising our kids and looking after the house as I am. I work full time and having 3 kids’ makes impossible for me to do everything on my own. He respects that and helps out in every possible way he can.
But I believe this wouldn’t have happened if the women had not been fighting their rights for generations. We are seeing the fruit of it now. If I was born a century ago, I would possibly never been going to work to earn the living. I would probably have more kids and just stayed at home change their nappies, cook, clean and serve dinners for my husband.
In a way, men had gained from equal rights laws.
I know my husband loves spending time with kids and he loves being involved in raising them in equal parts to me. By helping me around the house he appreciates my work as he knows it’s not easy to do.
We build the house as partners in the business would, by equally contributing towards every area of what the family live involves. Had the women not fight for their rights, he would probably still carry on working full time plus take overtime as today’s cost of living are so high, one income is not enough to survive. He then would come home super tired and kids would be asleep already and not see him much. He would put his feet up to watch some telly and not help at home as I would have already done everything having stayed at home.
The result of the equalisation of rights that women had fought for, we women are now more brave, determined, courageous, confident and supportive towards one another. We inspire one another. We cheer one another.
Why I am proud to be a woman
But there are few more things I would like to point as to what makes women so special and why I am proud to be a woman:
- Women bring babies onto this world
- Women are more clever than man (more women than men gets a higher education)
- Woman live longer than man
- Women are beautiful
- Women hear better than man
- Women can verbally express their emotions better than man
- Women take fewer risks (perhaps that’s why we live longer)
- Women are more positive and are more likely to see a neutral face as friendly.
- Women read subtle emotion better than man (emotional intelligence)
- Women avoid conflict
- Women are less likely to be unfaithful
- Women can multitask
Quotes
I have some quotes that inspired me and I would love to share them with you:
There is no limits to what we as woman can accomplish- Michelle Obama
A strong woman looks a challenge in the eye and gives it a wink- Gina Carey
We all have a wonder woman inside us – Daniele Von Furstenberg
Surround yourself with only people who are going to lift you higher – Oprah
Woman who seek to be equal with man lacks ambition- Marilyn Monroe
I don’t get there for wishing for it, or hoping for it, but working for it –Estee Lauder
The woman who does not require validation from anyone is the most feared individual on the planet-Mohadesa Najumi
There is nothing stronger than a broken woman who has rebuilt herself- Hannah Gadsby
Take every chance you get in life, because some things only happens once- Karen Gibbs
Conclusion
Be proud to be a woman.
Women had fought for centuries so that we can now enjoy equal rights and although there is still some work to do the world is heading in the right direction.
I am so proud to be a woman and I am proud to be raising one. I know she will have an even better life in the years ahead as the world is evolving.
Just as the last thing I would like to mention.
We have seen in recent months how the negative impact of media and cyberbullying had impacted the mental health of celebrities or influencers due to which we had lost some incredible women.
Be kind!
If you have something bad to say, it’s best not to say it at all. Words can cut deeper than a knife and affect people in the darkest way we can imagine. Kindness does not cost a thing and can lift one up. We have come so far as women; let’s not ruin it by hating one another and being spiteful.
Love, peace and respect! Above all!
Other relevant posts you might want to read:
What it takes to be a successful woman
Please let me know in the comments below why are YOU proud to be a woman.
Thank you
