#IRecommend #ChallengeAccepted
I woke up on Sunday morning with anxiety, it was Women’s Day. I knew my phone was going to be flooded with messages of people wishing me a ‘happy women’s day’; others might even remind me that I am strong, powerful, a force to be reckoned with. Ah, yes, the copy paste monsters strike again (come on, you don’t really think they typed that up for and sent it just to you, do you?).
I am judging because we live in a time when anyone can create their own card. And I’m judging the laziness of it all, the triteness. When you consider that the reason, we commemorate this day is because approximately 20 000 women got up off their seats to stand up against one of the most powerful regimens in history, to fight for their rights. Today, we forward messages.
It is with the same disdain that I watched the #challengeaccepted trend grow – how few truly understood what the challenge was, never mind those who really did not accept anything.
While the campaign’s intended objectives are important, I feel as if we “shared” the purpose right out of it, just like women’s day. This campaign started in Turkey and was a strong message against the soaring rates of violence against woman after the brutal murder of 27-year-old, Pinar Gultekin.
Our response to issues of significance is beginning to feel a bit trite. It is beginning to look like an opportunity to share, tagging numerous friends and securing many likes, and I just do not get how this is fixing the problem.
We need to start being a bit more deliberate. One of the ways I believe we can empower women is through actually and actively supporting them. We know that women who are supported through the provision of education and employment are far less likely to stay when their home life becomes violent or unbearable. I know, I am one of them, I was pulled out of my terrible situation by women.
Instead of Black and White selfies and downloaded images, do you not think we should be sharing photos of empowering books, or free courses or other inspiring women? Perhaps, women in business who could use some support. Or women in charity who look after other women. Or simply women in their lives who changed things for them.
Instead of toggling filters, I would like to suggest you:
• Talk about your peers who run their own businesses and refer them when an opportunity crops up on your timeline, and recommend them when someone in your circle needs a service they offer.
• Talk about your friend who runs a safe house for women who want to escape abusive relationships, tell people how they can help keep the house going through donations, be they financial or otherwise.
• Talk about your mentor, mother, your sister or aunt, and quote that one thing she said to you that one time that changed the way you see yourself and how you fit into the world around you.
• Share a photo of a woman who inspires you!
Please, make these things count. Your voice is powerful. Your timeline in invaluable. Your share should mean something, it should change something, and it should help someone.
And not only in August.
PS: The woman in the pic is my mom in her office. An entrepreneur and head of house, a single mom of three, during apartheid South Africa. She is the reason I am a business owner today. She is the reason I care about women.
#IRecommend
#ChallengeAccepted
#InspiringWomen