It’s Twenty Nineteen and although we have come quite a way since we were the first country to give women the right to vote (in 1893) but we definitely still have a LONG way to go.
In the industry that I am in, it is known to be very male dominated and I have struggled as a female to get taken seriously (not only just for my age). It has been an uphill battle but I have had the privilege of working on multiple different teams with talented females and only hope when I turn up to the next project that it continues like that. These sort of experiences makes you feel as though you have a point to prove that you’re just as committed, worthy and passionate as your male counterparts.
“Peaks and troughs happen. If you’re down, you will go up again. If you’re up, there may be some more down times. But after all this, remember that you’re still gaining momentum and you’re making progress – and a lot of the time that’s half the battle. Keep moving.”
I pledge for this year surrounding the ‘balance for better’ theme that I will continue to tackle opportunities regardless of other’s thoughts of females in the industry and prepared to keep fighting the good fight that some fearless females have been building on for a while. In saying all of this, I also enjoy working on a team with the other talented genders but would really like to see everyone showing respect to those who feel like they have to hide in the shadows. I’m also totally on the girls supporting girls bandwagon, and you should be too – Jess
International Women’s Day has always been a special day for me. Some would argue that everyday is International Women’s Day and I agree. That being said, though, there is something remarkably special in having a day where we celebrate each other. It always warms my heart seeing my social media feed filled with appreciation posts, positive affirmations, and women celebrating themselves. In this day and age, it’s empowering to see us achieve great things, break down barriers, and own our rightful place in the world.
However, I know we’ve still got a long way to go. The world has a lot of catching up to do. Which I guess is the reason why we still need days like International Women’s Day. But to me, the value has always been in what comes after the day. After we’ve celebrated and the party ends, that’s when the real work happens.
The theme for this year is ‘Balance for Better’ and I love that it’s ambiguous enough to apply to a lot of things. Perhaps it’s a balanced workplace and having a mix of gender and identities in departments. Maybe it’s about balancing our time better so we can achieve more. I know as women we are expected to wear so many hats on a daily basis and it can be hard to balance it all. Or perhaps this theme is about getting balanced perspective – listening as well as talking, making sure the media we consume is balanced.
However way you interpret this, I hope you do take time to reflect on what this means to you. This year I’m committing to a balanced diet, a balanced lifestyle, and a balanced view on things and really taking time to seek out other perspectives to mine. Whatever you do, I hope it’s deeply rooted in kindness, empathy, and compassion.
We cannot rise until all of us can and I count myself so lucky to be in excellent company with the wonderful, powerful women at team Kimberley Crossman. I hope you are surrounded by excellent women (and people in your life) and if you haven’t yet, take an opportunity to thank them today. – Hazel
Happy International Women’s Day! As what Queen Bey has said in the past.. “Who run the world? GIRLS!”
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