I have always felt very connected with topics of feminism and equality. It is something that has always felt close to my heart and my own experiences, so I wanted to explore what Women’s History Month means to me.
I was born in Mexico, which is a particularly dangerous country for women. I grew up with many limitations that I didn’t fully understand as different until I explored other countries. I was never allowed to take an Uber alone. I could not walk alone at night. At a bar or club, I would always make sure to see your drink get made and never leave it unsupervised. If a strange man comes up to you in public, do not engage at all. It wasn’t until I moved to Canada that I realized how different life is at home.
Although I love my home country, sexism is extremely present in its culture. In Mexico, 11 women get killed every day for no reason. This is why, I don’t see International Women’s Day and Women’s History Month as a day of celebration, but rather a day for fighting and reflecting on all the innocent lives that have been taken because other people in power do not care for them. It is difficult to celebrate a cause when I know that at any point, it could be one of my sisters’ or friends’ turn to experience this.
There are a lot of reasons to be proud of women and all of our achievements throughout history, but I refuse to celebrate a day or month until all women can live in peace and feel safe.
I will always admire the women who go out and protest and fight for the women we’ve lost and for more just treatment. Through this month, I want to reflect on how sexism is still present in all countries and think about all the lives we have lost and the people who keep fighting for equality. I want to reflect and keep fighting for all the women in Mexico, Gaza, Congo, and so many more who are living in unacceptable conditions.
I invite everyone who is reading this article to educate themselves on feminism and how it looks different in each country. And to every woman who has ever felt uncomfortable or insecure because of sexism or a man’s action, I want to let you know that you are not alone and I admire you for pushing through.