In a discussion with my Religion and Ethics class, we contemplated whether or not celebrating International Women's Day was relevant to young women in Brisbane today. Interestingly, there was an overwhelming opinion that opportunities for them were available, and therefore, activism needed historically was not necessary today. This is a wonderful comment on how comfortable our young women today feel about their opportunities and sense of place in the world but then we started to drill down further into the experiences for many other women who are not experiencing that sense of inclusion and hope.
With so many stories about the gender pay gap, domestic abuse and women struggling to be recognised and included in many cultures around the world, there is a long way to go for women. International Women's Day is a chance to celebrate over a century of change and recognise the women in our community who have contributed to that change. It is a time for reflection but also a time to celebrate all those who have been committed to forging women's equality.
This year, the International Women's Day campaign theme was 'Inspire Inclusion'. The UN is calling on the world to “Invest in women: Accelerate progress” so that women can be properly included in the social, political and economic landscape. When we inspire others to understand and value women's inclusion, we forge a better world. And when women themselves are inspired to be included, there's a sense of belonging, relevance, and empowerment.
Last Friday, our Human Rights Group hosted a guest speaker who distilled the notion of inclusion in our own school context. Holistic physiotherapist Paula Hindle is the founder of the online health and wellness platform Unlock Potential, which she created with gold medallist and Olympian Libby Trickett. The mission of Unlock Potential is to inspire women through health and wellness, to live a life that is “thriving, not just surviving”. She is also the creator of UPGirls, a program designed to support and empower tween and teen girls to thrive with tools to create a positive mindset, resilience, confidence, period positivity, and a healthy body image. She spoke about the importance of affirming each others' gifts and talents and bringing other women into the fold by celebrating their contributions.
This is very much in keeping with the essence of our school's Sisterhood Statement, which is a declaration about the heart and soul of relationships and how the AHS Spirit can be kept alive to ensure the best possible experience for all students at All Hallows’. It is, at its very core, a statement about inclusion.
In the words of Pope Francis, "Women make the world a more beautiful place; they protect and keep it alive. They infuse the grace of renewal, the embrace of inclusion, and the courage to make our lives a gift." Let us continue to be a gift to each other through the 'embrace of inclusion".
