Name: Georgia Slack
Grade: Year 10
Age: 15 Years
School: The Cathedral College Rockhampton
Hometown and State: Gayndah, Queensland
LIFTING US UP – How can women and girls empower each other and their communities in times of uncertainty and change?
COVID-19 has caused many changes and uncertainties around community norms, behaviours and values. These changes have affected not only affected our physical health but also our mental health. In times of uncertainty and change, all women need to empower each other and their communities.
When an employer is given the choice to choose between a man and woman for a job and most employers are more likely to choose a man, but why? Society has assumed that men are the superior gender, causing unequal power relations, unequitable pay gaps and biased judgements. It has become societies nature to believe that women belong doing the smaller ‘easier’ jobs such as being housewives and family-oriented women. But women are so much more than this, they are people who have feelings and need to be respected, these changes in society are causing women to feel unsure about their place in society and how to ‘fit in’, uncomfortable in their own skin.
To empower is to give someone power to do something, otherwise known as inspiring and encouraging. Womenäó»s empowerment, however, refers to increasing women’s access to controlling their decisions in life.
You might be wondering; how do I empower another woman? Well there are many small things that we, as women, can do to inspire each other. Small things like boosting her self-esteem when she is feeling down, being open and honest to others and shutting down negativity. We must encourage and inspire each other to become the best possible versions of ourselves.
We must become lead our communities through these tough times, when placed somewhere where we don’t understand our surroundings we often give up. But we must persevere supporting our communities and making sure everyone is comfortable and happy. To make a difference, we as women and girls, all need to get involved, being proactive by setting goals and aiming to achieve them.
“Doing good not only feels good, it leads to more good” – Karen Salmansohn, paying it forward is a concept where a person does something for another person (it could be something simple like picking up a pen they dropped, or inviting someone to sit with you) who then pays it forward to the next person; creating a happy and kind environment. Paying it forward is an important concept that we need to implement daily, the positivity which flows from doing good for others is something the community as whole can benefit from.
By women and girls paying it forward, boosting each-other’s self-esteem, shutting down negativity and being open and honest with others, our communities will be able to gain. These small things inspire, encourage and empower not only the important womanly figures in life, but also the ones behind the scenes, the ones who support those on the front lines. We, as women and girls, must present a strong, kind and joyous front, who strives to empower and influence each other to be our best possible selves.