The Time To Rise Is Now

“So often we are told to get on with it and brush it off. Life shouldn’t be like that. If every time something happened to us we got angry and tried to do something, society would be a much better place” Gina Martin, Womens’ Rights Activist.

I am going to start this blog with a very transparent admission. I am angry. There, I said it. Without the shame or discomfort that I usually feel when I feel angry. Because like so many of the more difficult emotions, this anger is a result of needs not being met. And not just my own. Millions of women across the world are feeling the oppressive effects of societies and institutions that do not value or seek to fully understand them and as a consequence, continue to fail them. Unseen, shut down and undermined by systems that still place the needs of men above them and which fail to honour or even recognise the many wonderful gifts, ideas and skills that women have to offer.

I don’t want to stay angry and I definitely don’t want to make this a men versus women debate. but there are issues dictating the current alarming statistics of gender inequality that need to be addressed. If you are a woman and are feeling angry right now, please do own it. When we own our anger and listen to its message, it can become a vehicle for positive change. A way to recognise and realise the unmet needs and find the ways to address and recitify them. This article is in part, a way to make sense of my current feelings but is more importantly a rally cry to my sisterhood that now is our time to rise and make our needs known and voices heard. To start to believe in ourselves and break out of the stifling ruts we find ourselves in that limit our potential, adversely affect our mental health and even put our lives at risk.

Work to empower women has been in action for decades but why is it now such a pressing issue? To put it simply, the last year and its numerous restrictive effects have swiftly reversed much of the advances in gender equality and female liberation. There have been many studies and subsequent articles on the damaging effect the ongoing pandemic has had on women. New global data from UN Women suggests the coronavirus could wipe out 25 years of increasing gender equality. "Everything we worked for, that has taken 25 years, could be lost in one year," said UN Women Deputy Executive Director Anita Bhatia. A recent article on the online scientific journal nature.com clearly outlines how the social and economic impacts of this pandemic (and the ones which went before) have fallen harder on women than on men. Women bear the brunt of care responsibilities when schools close and family members get ill, they are at greater risk of domestic violence and are disproportionately disadvantaged by reduced access to sexual and reproductive health services. They are also more likely to be affected by job losses due to the fact that they have less job security (part time hours/zero-hour contracts) in the first place. Crisis times such as these often uncover ways in which society and culture - its biases, imbalances and injustices - cause certain groups to be negatively and dramatically impacted in ways that other groups have not. In survey of 104 countries, women were found to provide an average of 67% of the health workforce including 80% of nursing staff. These are the people who have risked their mental health, emotional wellbeing and indeed their lives working on the pandemic healthcare frontline. And yet, women earn only a fraction of the income that men earn for the same work. Not only are women paid less but much of the work of many are undertaking is currently putting their lives under greater threat for doing so.

So where do we go from here? Awareness is the first step. Realising that there are deep rooted issues which cannot be ignored. Identifying the issues which effect you and those around you, and starting to take action. The website justiceforwomen.org opens with a long list of charities and campaign groups operating to protect the rights of women. One such organisation is UK Feminista which supports students and teachers to promote better gender equality in the classroom. There are many more, easily accessed online and which could always benefit from more support and attention.

There are also some truly inspirational individuals championing the rights of women. For example, I have huge respect for the work of Anna Whitehouse known as mother_pukka on her social media platforms, who has tirelessly campaigned the government for better conditions and treatment of working mothers with emphasis on reducing the gender pay gap. More recently, she has petitioned parliament to embrace the concept of more flexible working hours for all parents and carers which became such a pressing issue during the pandemic lockdowns. Labour MP Jess Philips is a brave, authentic voice within the parliamentary system, speaking on behalf of those so frequently ignored and oppressed by current laws and legislation. Such leaders and ground breaking organisations are active platforms for positive change, helping to educate and empower and sparking the conversations we need to have right now. They also allow us to harness the powerful activist within. Whether it be signing an online petition or writing/emailing your local MP about the issues that affect you, your community and women throughout the world - these are all effective tools for creating positive change and we can all play our part.

But there is a deeper issue that needs to be addressed and it concerns our sense of self love and self worth. We, as women need to believe in ourselves and our abilities and start to break free from the restraints and conditioning placed upon us which can make us doubt our competency, impact our sense of self esteem, diminish our confidence and negatively affect our mental and emotional wellbeing. Studies show that when applying for a job, women feel they need to meet 100% of a job’s requirements whereas men feel they only have to meet 60% before sending in their resume. What are the stories we have been told knowingly or subliminally from childhood that have resulted in this lack of self belief and how can we rewrite them and set ourselves free? How can we empower future generations - both female and male - to respect and believe in the power of the feminine? These are the questions we should be asking ourselves alongside holding onto hope for the future, which is as yet unwritten. The power for change lies in our minds, our hands and our hearts. Let us come together as women, create a more shared community and activate this transformation. Support each other fully and draw strength in the power of the collective. Demand change from the powers that be and create it within our own spheres of influence. Raise strong, independent females whose sense of worth is not defined by their looks, their relationship status or how many followers they have on social media. And bring up compassionate, kind males who are in touch with their emotions and not afraid to express their vulnerability. Enlighten, awaken and educate our parents, our partners and our peers to the issues we face as modern women. Notice when the voice inside our minds is berating, judging or comparing and keep coming back to kind and loving words of encouragement that we would give to a good friend in the same situation. We must work to become our own best friend which though might sound a little corny, is what I believe is going to save us in the long run. I will end with the words of poet and author Maya Angelou, “Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women.” Stand up, my loves and own your power. Find your voice and draw strength from the support of your tribe. Together we can make things change. Now is our time to rise.

Useful links: