It’s the week of International Women’s Day and I couldn’t give a fuck about celebrating, and here’s why.
Let me start by admitting I’m still somewhat confused about many things around International Women’s Day like:
Why are there two separate organisations with two separate annual themes?
And, more importantly… I’m really, REALLY struggling with the status quo of IWD events being all about wining and dining and networking on one single day of the year – instead of channelling that precious energy and those resources into rising up and using our voices to effect real change.
Don’t get me wrong, OF COURSE I think women should be celebrated, a belief which forms the basis of my entire business ethos. But are we missing the mark with our IWD celebrations? Could we be meeting this day with something a little more…poignant?
One thing I am absolutely certain about is my (to put it mildly) all out confusion re: 2024’s catch phrases for International Womens Day:
Count Her In: Invest in Women. Accelerate Progress
and
#InspireInclusion
I mean… they make me vomit in my mouth a little. They make my stomach turn and my chest tighten & my rage start building deep in my gut. Am I the only one?
How can the spotlight and focus seriouslybe about equality and inclusion whenwars are raging, when women & children are in the firing line…and we continue to look the other way?
How can we preach to inspire equality and inclusion when western governments are not only allowing but FUNDING the slaughter, torture and displacement of mind blowing numbers of innocent women, their children & families?
Explain it to me, please. Because I can’t, for the life of me, wrap my head around the ways in which we could count her in, or invest in her when she lies bloodied and broken.
When she is starving to death
When she is watching her children starve to death.
When she is holding the lifeless body of her child.
How do we include her when she is in FUCKING PIECES?!
How can we continue to celebrate IWD in this way? Without reading the room? When the WORLD IS ON FIRE and we’re being told to just stand here, watching it burn – or WORSE: pretend it isn’t.
Or does inclusion, investment & progress not extend to our brown-skinned sisters on the other side of the world? What about HER? Is she less worthy simply because of where she was born? The colour of her skin? Who her God is?
Sounds ludicrous, I know.
But that’s exactly what our “leaders” are telling us when they refuse to act. When we, the people they were elected to serve are calling for a ceasefire – loudly, relentlessly, passionately.
And still, THEY REFUSE TO ACT.
They are sending us a message, and you might not even realise it, but it’s LOUD AND CLEAR:
Money and power rule supreme. Humanity does not matter.
The lives of these innocent women and children don’t matter…
And, in turn,
WE as women – globally – do not matter.
Yep. It might make you feel uncomfortable, but I’m here to encourage you to please sit with that a minute. Let it sink in.
Make no mistake. If your skin is white & you live in a ‘free’ country – you are not untouchable. You are not separate from this. There are no exemptions.
Know and understand in the depths of your soul that while they placate us with an annual celebration of women, men in power continue to remove the rights of women on a global scale, including here at home.
So, honestly: fuck International Women’s Day.
Please hear me when I say:
We don’t need an International Women’s Day.
We need a FUCKING REVOLUTION.
I encourage you to allow yourself to feel your rage
And ACT on it.
Rise up, speak out, push back.
The future might be female – but it won’t be handed to us on a silver platter.
Inspired to act but don’t know where to start?
PALESTINE:
The Australian Palestine Advocacy Network has some ideas listed here https://apan.org.au/take-action/
Donate to Doctors without borders here https://www.doctorswithoutborders.org/get-involved/ways-to-give
GLOBAL HUMAN/WOMENS RIGHTS:
Amnesty International is a great start to get informed and take action on global happenings https://www.amnesty.org.au
Women’s International League for peace & freedom has some excellent resources https://www.wilpf.org.au
WOMENS RIGHTS AT HOME (AUSTRALIA):
National Council of Women Australia https://ncwa.org.au/about-national-council-of-women-australia
Women of colour Australia https://womenofcolour.org.au/resources/
SPEAK UP:
Head over to Instagram by clicking here https://www.instagram.com/natashagrechphotographer/ & share my IWD post (or any other non-fluffy post that resonates) Feel free to add your own thoughts, or – if that scares the life out of you, just hit share & start the conversation. Tag me so I can support you. We’re in this together.
If this post resonated, you may also like my 2023 thoughts on IWD – find it here
OR my thoughts on Mother’s Day that you can read here
