International Women’s Day has been held on the 8th of March every year since 1913 and it is a day to celebrate the wonderful women in our lives. It is an important day to empower and support fellow women and to recognise the struggle towards gender equality, both how far we have come and how much more we can achieve.
It serves a powerful purpose in starting conversations about equality and opportunity allowing everyone the chance to reflect on what they can do. At Secret Sisterhood we could not be prouder to support and celebrate this year’s theme, choose to challenge.
At Secret Sisterhood we choose to challenge every barrier that stands in the way of gender equality and empowerment.
We believe no matter your gender, race, nationality, class or background that everyone should have equal opportunity and feel empowered to make their own decisions. We choose to challenge ongoing discrimination based on gender that limits individual empowerment. We challenge this directly by contributing 100% of the profits earned at Secret Sisterhood to charities we believe are crucial to achieving gender equality and empowerment.
We challenge girls’ not getting access to an education.
We believe every woman and girl should have the chance to reach their full potential. Education is a fundamental right that should be made available to everyone and girls should not be discriminated against because of their gender. We actively challenge this through our partnership with One Girl, making sure girls’ in Africa get access to quality, safe education.
We challenge women’s voices not being heard.
At Secret Sisterhood we believe that women have an absolute right to be heard. Our voices are so powerful, however many women around the world have become invisible. We challenge this directly through our partnership with UN Women NC Australia.
We challenge violence against women.
We condemn and challenge all violence against women. We reject common misogynistic slurs, such as ‘she was asking for it’ and continue to challenge violence against women, supporting sisters around the world through the #metoo movement.
We challenge a woman’s role in the household.
We are committed to challenging the woman’s role in the household and misogynistic, outdated views that women need to look after the house. We reject this notion and support self-determination and freedom to undertake any role or career.
We challenge the barriers facing women in leadership.
At Secret Sisterhood we choose to challenge the obstacles that prevent women the opportunity to be powerful and inspiring leaders. Leaders believe women can be leaders in all situations, in the workplace, the community, sporting teams, etc. We trust in a woman’s ability to be an effective leader, to make fair and efficient decisions and to maintain a position as a role model. In the last year, we have seen the power of women in leadership through COVID responses from countries led by women, such as New Zealand and Slovakia.
We challenge misogyny in politics.
We choose to challenge the continuous misogyny in politics that denounce women and their ability to be included in government. We reject any inappropriate behaviour of men in power, sexist culture and intimidation associated with politics and a woman’s place in power.
We challenge a perfect body image.
We challenge the ‘perfect’, unachievable and unhealthy body image that society pressures women to reach and uphold. We question the power of the media in representing this image and the influence it holds over women to conform to these unrealistic expectations.
We challenge women’s representation in Hollywood films.
We challenge the misogynistic and outdated representation of women in Hollywood films. We do not support the stereotypical woman and their characters such as the damsel in distress. At Secret Sisterhood we also continue to question the underrepresentation of female leads in Hollywood films.
We challenge period poverty.
We believe that everyone should have an absolute right to hygiene products to allow every woman the dignity to feel comfortable and safe on their period. We believe all barriers, especially that of cost, should be challenged to allow access to clean products and safe environments. We actively challenge this through our partnership with The Cova Project. We have donated over 10,000 menstrual cups to women who need it most.
We challenge harassment in the workplace.
We oppose harassment of women in their place of work and believe that everyone should feel safe and comfortable in their work environment.We condemn any unsolicited verbal or physical behaviour that makes any individual uncomfortable.
We challenge inequality.
We challenge that people should be treated differently because of their gender.
We challenge stereotypes.
At Secret Sisterhood we challenge the stereotypes constructed by society and how this may limit individuals from achieving their full potential. We condemn the pressure that is placed on conforming to these stereotypes and their suffocating impacts.
This International Women’s Day, what do you choose to challenge?
