Name: Alexandra Hatty
Grade: Year 10
Age: 17 Years
School: Goulburn Valley Grammar School
Hometown and State: Tocumwal, New South Wales
LIFTING US UP – How can women and girls empower each other and their communities in times of uncertainty and change?
It begins as an internal question; ‘what empowers me?’ A novel? A song? A speech? My question then becomes ‘how can I empower others?’
Education is the single most powerful weapon I have in my arsenal. It enables me to apply my own knowledge and experiences to the conversation and remains a constant in circumstances filled with uncertainty. Education is the beginning of the pathway to inspire others and unite for change.
Our society was built on the pillars of the patriarchy and even now it is predominantly men in positions of authority and power. The androcentrism of this system continues to openly discriminate and oppress those who do not reflect its underlying ideals. For example, health problems that exclusively affect women have been under investigated, and two thirds of the world’s illiterate population are women. Education is often the answer to changing our perspective and gives us the privilege to see the true values of the system. Emmeline Pankhurst opened the eyes of oppressed women and really ignited the Suffragettes in 1903. This social movement challenged gender stereotypes and brought women together to fight for their suffrage. It only takes one person to create change but together people can create a movement.
The more we challenge the barriers the weaker they become. Traditional stereotypes and certain cultural norms are present everywhere, particularly in small town communities where they are commonly accepted and rarely challenged. The saying ‘boys will be boys’ regarding bullying and aggression normalises violence and perpetuates the cycle of toxic masculinity. Similarly, using the word ‘girly’ to describe a person’s dress or characteristics should not be an insult. One key example of society being discriminative to women is that equal pay became law in 1996, yet the gender pay gap still exists at an average of 14%. Biased views that predetermine a women’s job opportunities and gender stereotypes like women caring for a family are often at fault. It is in fact a shared parental responsibility to care for a family though men are never the ones to be asked of their capabilities to have a career and a child. As Jacinta Ardern powerfully said after being vilified for daring to become a mother and Prime Minister, ‘It is a woman’s decision about when they choose to have children.’ She was not the first to balance a child and a career but to see a woman stand against the scrutiny and questioning of the public on a global scale is inspiring.
When people and in particular women, actively challenge cultural norms and stereotypes despite the uncertainty of their actions, others see the potential and it motivates them to do so as well. If we do hold doubt for the future we can rely on our education and knowledge to help us. Education provides women everywhere with a protective surrounding, an opportunity to go places and the power to break barriers.
In 2020 we have seen circumstances world-wide that have made almost everyone face some form of change. In times like this we have to be flexible and adapt to the situation, if we perceive change as not something to fear but an opportunity to learn we can only add power to one of the greatest assets that we all share, education. The fact that I am able to write this and can attend school every day despite living rurally motivates me to use my education to empower more women, girls and my community. If we speak up and take action as our predecessors have, we can motivate more people to do so and change cultural norms.