After I got acclimated to campus life at my college, I really came to terms with how much it is absolutely crucial for women to stick together.
We live in one of the most judgemental generations of all time. As young adults, we let people dictate us with opinions that we didn’t ask for, we allow people to label us over and over again with names we didn’t want, and we forgive people repeatedly for mistreating us. We are underestimated and most times treated unfairly.
As much as I believe it is needed for humans to stick together, I believe it is 100x more important for women, in particular, to stick together.
The most important and realistic way to show support for our sisters is by showing up. This means everything in between the physical act of showing up for events and presentations but also in the most simple form of speaking up.
Women are degraded, paid less, silenced, underestimated, misrepresented, and let down. The worst part of that list is that it goes on…
…and on.
I have heard countless times in high school from my female friends who felt like being friends with other girls was not preferred, as being friends with guys meant less drama. Are we really willing to be okay with the fact that other girls see and treat their girl-friends strictly as competition, or feel threatened by other girls, or being mean in order to feel like you are attaining the upper hand? How can we prove to men that we are deserving of equality when we are barely seen as equal to each other?
Women, why is it that we feel so threatened by the way we see other woman dress, speak or act? Why do we feel as though it’s our job to police other women into the way that we think they should be? That way of thinking goes against everything we stand for.
We need to change the way we treat each other because as women, we should be each other’s greatest partners, not each other’s greatest fight. As women, we have enough speculation surrounding us on a daily basis; we don’t need to add more to it. We should support each other at work, at home, within our friend groups, wherever. We need to show up and play the part of an ally to each other.
We can start with the ways in which we speak to each other. I don’t appreciate listening to women disrespect and put down other women, especially behind their back. We should be boosting each other up, not tearing each other down! Start telling the women surrounding you that you notice their hard work and that you’re proud of them. Tell them you see them and that they are valid. Tell them you wish they have a good day. Tell them you love the piece they did and that they did a great job.
The minute we start speaking down on women around us, we are giving other people permission to do the same to us.
Kindness is contagious!
The more we radiate positivity and uplifting words, the more they will circle back to us, thus creating the compassionate world we want to live in. Hold the door open for her, compliment something other than her appearance (because women have a multiplicity of other factors worth complimenting), interrupt the table gossip session with a change of course towards praise. Even the simple act of eye contact while talking is necessary and essential. Acknowledge her presence by not looking at your phone while she talks. Listen to what she has to say.
The ways we can support each other are varying. It’s important to remember who our fight is against and that it’s not against each other. Women need to stick together!