Wednesday, March 3, 2010

7 Actions for Women

Wednesday, March 3, 2010

On March 8, International Women's Day, many women and some men & children will gather in various places to listen to speakers, maybe march or eat a nice meal. They will don IWD buttons or t-shirts. And then, the chances are pretty good that what was heard and learned will blend into the demands of everyday life or just be forgotten.

Days such as March 8 are definitely important, so please do support you local event(s). To prepare for that day, here are some suggestions for things you can do  beforehand:
  •  Take 15 minutes a day until the 8th to explore a website on women's issues. I posted four yesterday (click here), but there are probably thousands.
  • For five minutes really give some thought to one woman you know and imagine what she might have dealt with in her life simply because she is female.
  • Now imagine a woman living on another continent than yours. What do you know or what can you imagine about her struggles and triumphs simply because she is female?
  • List five women living near you, even if you don't know their names. Make a point of doing something kind for each one -- a smile, a small gift, a visit.
  • Look in the Yellow Pages. Count the number of women lawyers and the number of men lawyers (or any typically male occupation).
  • Go to the library or look at your own children's books. Count how many books have a main character who is female and how many have one who is male.
  • Pick up any general interest magazine. Count how many people in the ads and story photos are male and how many are female.
Do yourself and your world a favour. Educate yourself about the realities of life for millions of women in the world today. Be conscious of your own realities. How do you discount women in your thinking and words. How do you discount men in your thinking and your words?

We're all on this planet together. I urge you to find ways to even things up for everybody.

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