Human TuneUp Column by Cath
Women. Where are we now?
I’m convinced that we women are the answer to the world, that our voices are critical to the health of our communities, our country and planet.
Women and power. It has been a long and not-over journey for us.
When I think of the cultures on this planet who still hold women as not equal, it is certainly not over. In my work with San Diego Diplomacy Council and the U.S. Department of State, I met these women.
Women from cultures that mutilate young girls’ genitalia, women from cultures that do not “allow” (don’t get me started) women to go outside for a walk alone, those requiring women to marry their rapists (!) for the honor of the family, those receiving death threats for taking a stand.
Include in that, the women here in our country who speak to power and are not believed and are ridiculed.
There is much work to do. In my keynote WomenPower, I talk about when I was too nice, too silent, too lacking in needed skills to connect with my power.
Here are some simple places I started.
Stop over-apologizing!
While entering an elevator the other day, I stepped aside so the woman coming out had room to move. She said: “I’m sorry.” What in the world and why was she apologizing? Too apologetic? Stop it.
Too much humility is too much!
We do and do and do and then wait for someone to notice and advance us. Too humble? Stop it.
Too silent!
When someone angers us, we stuff it. When we have a great idea, we leave it unsaid. Stop it.
Speak.
No community and no country are as healthy as can be until the voices of women are woven in, heard and respected.
Okay. I am stepping down off my soapbox. My rant is over now.
Cath DeStefano, Public Speaker, Author, Artist
Keynotes by Cath: http://www.humantuneup.com
Email: HumanTuneUp@Live.com
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