Women empowering women, a weapon against abuse and gender inequality
- Chyann Klahs
- Mar 16, 2023
- 3 min read
March is Women’s History Month, a time to celebrate the women who paved the way and continue to fight against the mistreatment of women and gender inequality, chipping away at the glass ceiling so that the next generation can watch it shatter.
There are many ways that we can pay tribute to the activists who fought before us and continue to wage the war that women like Ida B. Wells started. Some of the greatest advancements in the women's rights movement have stemmed from women banding together to fight in solidarity.
The fight against inequality and the mistreatment of women by our society is not a battle that can be won alone. But, how do we bring women together in a world that seems determined to pin us against one another? One way a woman can begin to empower other women to come together and fight for change is by telling their own stories. When a woman chooses to stand up and tell their own truths, it inspires other women to acknowledge the worth and power of their own stories.
In a room full of women you will find that more than half of them have experienced assault and/or harassment in their lifetimes, and almost all of them have dealt with gender inequality. Most of these women have chosen to stay silent out of fear or shame. Many of those who have chosen to report what has happened to them face the burden of proof and the judgment of others. When one of these women takes a stand and exposes the trauma they have experienced and the treatment they may have faced, it empowers and inspires others to do the same. Validating their feelings and experiences, giving them the courage to fight back, and sharing the traumas they have experienced.
Along with telling their own stories, another way women can empower each other is by listening to the stories of their sisters without passing judgment. It is important to take value in every word the speaker says and recognize the bravery that it takes to speak out, knowing that your words will be torn apart and ridiculed. When a woman tells her story and is met with love and acceptance from other women, it encourages them to continue speaking out and fighting for change. When other women see this support it may give them the courage to speak out and tell their own stories.
In addition to telling their own stories and listening to the stories of others without judgment, One of the biggest ways women can empower one another is by choosing to lift each other up instead of tearing each other down. When scrolling through comments on social media, it is evident that women judge each other's appearances and lifestyles, based solely on what they see through a screen. This behavior is encouraged by tabloids that compare celebrities asking ‘who wore it better,’ judging a woman based on what they wear and who they choose to date.
Instead of reading tabloids like these and judging other women you see on social media or in person, find ways to spread positivity and lift up others. Share the love, leave a compliment in someone's comment section, encourage others, or just be a friend. Understand that every woman is different and we are all going through different challenges, but we also face some of the same oppositions. As women, we have all faced some form of injustice; whether we realize it or not, use this as a driving force to fuel the fight for change and bring women together to end gender inequality.
This article was written for Planted, Not Buried's segment Spread Your Roots, Grow Your Knowledge. Planted, not Buried is a non-profit organization that focuses on empowering, educating, and inspiring others through outreach, events, networking, and opportunities.
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