All for girl power, but . . .
JEANNE RYKE WRITES:
Wednesday was Women's Day. Not a day that I marked in my calendar. My taxi driver mentioned it on my way to work. Nice touch.
I didn't give it much thought. Got to work and in my inbox pops a newsletter from my employer, with a lengthy hoo-ha article on Women's Day. I think it was my surprise at the absence of a feeling of solidarity that made me read the article.
Don't get me wrong – I am all for girl power – but a thing like Women's Day irritates me – it feels patronising. Especially when the women who need it most do not get anything out of it.
So, the article is a collection of interviews with our agency women from different countries and their message to the world on women. When I got to interview number 3, my initial intuition was proven spot on. They all spoke about Gender Equality. I read all 23 interviews. I was dumbfounded. How is it possible that professional women, creative accomplished girls, can all get it so wrong?
Gender Equality by definition includes males. Which in essence compromises the de facto aim of celebrating or addressing women's issues. Why, because the departure point of the conversation is a comparative one. And comparisons ultimately lead to competitive inclinations and hierarchies.
Not one of the interviewees took any of the current events, now happening issues with women straight on. And there are many. Many serious topics that need the public endorsement and awareness from the collective strength of professional women. You will know if you read news sources. It's all there, for free, online. Opinion pieces, brilliantly written discussion blogs.
And that's when I realised again that the brothel (whore house) of information is making opinion prostitutes out of our society. It's become the norm to flirt with a headline and a comment heard or fleetingly seen somewhere.
The importance of dialogue, which is a guardian of the human psyche, is neglected and corrupted by the easy thrill of exchanging dramatic titbits. Which inevitably becomes opinion.
My final thought on the article was that I was disappointed that from 23 senior executive women in the informed global communication industry, there was not one definitive or inspiring message that championed women on this day.
Today, I felt deceived by my gender. I am mad at the inability and insouciance of women to constructively articulate what we all moan about all the time.
Gender Equality?
Wednesday was Women's Day. Not a day that I marked in my calendar. My taxi driver mentioned it on my way to work. Nice touch.
I didn't give it much thought. Got to work and in my inbox pops a newsletter from my employer, with a lengthy hoo-ha article on Women's Day. I think it was my surprise at the absence of a feeling of solidarity that made me read the article.
Don't get me wrong – I am all for girl power – but a thing like Women's Day irritates me – it feels patronising. Especially when the women who need it most do not get anything out of it.
So, the article is a collection of interviews with our agency women from different countries and their message to the world on women. When I got to interview number 3, my initial intuition was proven spot on. They all spoke about Gender Equality. I read all 23 interviews. I was dumbfounded. How is it possible that professional women, creative accomplished girls, can all get it so wrong?
Gender Equality by definition includes males. Which in essence compromises the de facto aim of celebrating or addressing women's issues. Why, because the departure point of the conversation is a comparative one. And comparisons ultimately lead to competitive inclinations and hierarchies.
Not one of the interviewees took any of the current events, now happening issues with women straight on. And there are many. Many serious topics that need the public endorsement and awareness from the collective strength of professional women. You will know if you read news sources. It's all there, for free, online. Opinion pieces, brilliantly written discussion blogs.
And that's when I realised again that the brothel (whore house) of information is making opinion prostitutes out of our society. It's become the norm to flirt with a headline and a comment heard or fleetingly seen somewhere.
The importance of dialogue, which is a guardian of the human psyche, is neglected and corrupted by the easy thrill of exchanging dramatic titbits. Which inevitably becomes opinion.
My final thought on the article was that I was disappointed that from 23 senior executive women in the informed global communication industry, there was not one definitive or inspiring message that championed women on this day.
Today, I felt deceived by my gender. I am mad at the inability and insouciance of women to constructively articulate what we all moan about all the time.
Gender Equality?
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