International Women’s Day is meant to celebrate women from all walks of life, yet IWD events seem to highlight the same narratives, the same success stories, and the same definitions of empowerment – most of which have to do with how many women are “killing it” at work.
This hyper-focus on women in the workforce as the only metric for women’s progress raises a myopic way of viewing gender discrimination and inequality when, in reality, it manifests differently across cultures. And so, accordingly, progress takes many forms.
Inequality and discrimination don’t just exist in the workplace. They also come in the form of domestic violence and abuse, misogyny among women themselves, and sexual harassment – in the workplace, on the internet and quite literally anywhere.
And let’s not forget how female athletes in some sports have a different dress code from their male counterparts when it comes to competition attire.
Maybe it’s time to cut down on yet another panel showcasing corporate managers. They can keep their seats, but we have to make space for a wider range of successful women – as well as view success in different ways.
While being in company leadership is admirable, not every woman wants to be a CEO, and that’s okay. If we truly care about diversity, we need to expand the conversation beyond women at work to women in all aspects of life.
A thriving society is one where women, regardless of their role, are treated with dignity, autonomy, and respect.
I’d love to see organisations shine a spotlight on the women cleaning our office pantry, artisans preserving intergenerational craft, single mums creating their own path even as they’re squeezed in a sandwich generation, abuse survivors rebuilding their lives, and volunteers at women’s shelters.
I want to hear from women who learned how to invest from scratch, advocates for the well-being of young girls in the age of social media, and aunties who care for the homeless and animals in their neighbourhoods. What are their stories? Who inspires them? Where do they find strength?
