Happy Women's Day!
9 August is such a special day in South Africa! A day set aside to commemorate the power, patience, resilience, passion and persistence of women from all walks of life.
I had an interesting discussion with my learners this week about feminism and what it means to them. Empowerment. Freedom. Equality. Words which were thrown around the classroom. Then a learner said, "Feminism makes women more powerful than men, and men just need to adapt to that and accept not being in charge."
Power. Is that what feminism is perceived to be about? Women wanting to feel superior in the workplace or in their households? That's not what it's about.
For me, Feminism represents choice not power over the opposite sex. The ability to choose and not be judged for it. It's about women having the ability to defy the roles given to them by society. Or to want to fulfil those traditional roles and feel empowered too.
To choose to be a career woman and not be told that you are selfish. To choose to raise your children and not be told that you are not driven. To choose to get married and take your husband's surname and not be perceived as submissive. Or to choose to remain single and not be perceived as lonely.
Ironically, men are more accepting of feminism than women are. Sadly, I often find that women are the most judgemental of each other. I'm guilty of this and I am very conscious of it when it happens. Perhaps we do it because of our own insecurities or because we feel better about our own lives when we are judging how other women live theirs.
We should be more supportive of the choices women make and be more convicted in our own. That's feminism. Be fierce in whatever you choose.
Be empowered. Be free. Insist on equality. But most importantly, choose.