I've always hated the word 'feminist'. The connotations that surround the term are far too negative, but I would certainly call myself one in regards to what it stands for. Now, I'm not an active campaigner that attends every women's march or protest, but I am a motivational speaker to influencing young women to use their powers, greatly and intellectually, whether it be in a working environment or through their day-to-day lives.
In this day-and-age, women are brought up to feel like they have no choice, but to take on the world. We are automatically given a responsibility from an infant that we must start a family, we must marry, we must make something of ourselves to rebel against 'the system', and show we are not all simply made for fertility and culinary.
I have always been extremely rebellious as a child, but using that rebellion in a sense of what is best for me and my path. I've never played by the rules, and I believe women shouldn't either. We are constantly told what we can and cannot do in society, from the way we dress, to how we should talk and appear. In business, it is just as difficult to be taken remotely seriously in any boardroom surrounded by dominating egos, money and power, but it is our duty, as women, to ensure we are never overlooked.
Women are controlled by what 'is expected'. We are expected to be dominated in a working environment, we are expected to agree and follow through, we are expected to be not who we are. We are expected to be silenced.
Running my own PR firm has been the hardest thing I've ever done. From convincing clients, colleagues, friends, family and even the press, that I am knowledgeable, independent and capable to take on this huge challenge has had its fair share of trials and tribulations, but this hasn't only been around the fact that I am a woman, it's also rotated around that I'm very young.
With this in mind, do you think a new business can really progress in a forever-evolving industry if they are not, 1) current, 2) motivated and highly driven, 3) aware of today's technology, industries and trends, and 4) diverse?
Women feel the need to constantly justify themselves to society, from taking on a 'manly-like' job, to riding motorbikes, to even hard labour, why do women feel that they have to convince the world they are enough?
It is because our powerful role models are diminished, and especially for young millennial women, we have limited options. For university students, who do they have who is young, powerful, motivated and successful to look up to? Popstars and models. The false-morphed lifestyle which has twisted the press into thinking women who are half naked, thin and rich is the only avenue they have, to making something for themselves.
It's never been harder to feel accepted than it is now. But the point is, you should never feel like you belong in a box, you should be eager to go in every opportunity, situation and industry. Women have been placed into communities, careers and categories of what society feels is right for decades, and until now, we have pushed these boundaries; destroyed them even.
We have the power to change positions, mind-sets, industries, rules and a way of life. We have the ability to merge something so simple into something beautiful. So, if you ever feel that you need to explain who you are and why you are doing something, we are women, andthat is enough.