Many of us claim to support women, but sometimes, we are not good at showing authentic support to other women when it comes down to it. I don’t think we intend to do this, but I believe it is an ongoing issue. In the last year alone, we saw women’s rights come under attack. We need to learn to love ourselves and one another, which our society and history have not always taught us to do.
In 2021, we cannot stand for discrimination against women, at any level. This starts with us, and it begins with every one of us making a conscious choice to support women. As women, we should be the most understanding and accepting because we know all too well what it feels like to be overlooked and underestimated.
We have possessed the ability to create life since the beginning of time, yet white women weren’t allowed to vote until 1920, and women of color weren’t allowed to vote until 1943. In this day and age, we should be the loudest voices when supporting other women.
I’m raising a young daughter, and one of the things I want her to know is the value of having a group of women around her. Women have a connection with each other that can make us all do the most beautiful things. Uplifting women has become the new thing, but sometimes I feel like it should have always been the only thing.
If you have ever seen a clip from any delivery room or birthing process, you will see women around the room giving their ancestral powers to the birthing person to help them bring life into the world. That kind of connection can’t be taught, so why is it that women are so often portrayed as enemies competing with one another? Why is the mean girl trope so popular for us to see repeatedly in the media?
When Elaine Thompson-Herah won the 100-meter run, she was asked about Sha’carri Richardson in her interviews after the competition. This might not seem odd to you because Richardson has been so heavily discussed this summer, but my point is this: when was the last time any male athlete was asked about the people who didn’t even place in the competition?
Further, Richardson herself tragically lost her biological mother and unfortunately did something she shouldn’t have with her sports in mind. But how many times have we seen male athletes commit crimes, have violent outbursts, be rude to the press, and more without ever being penalized for it? The answer is a lot. So, once again, I am left wondering: why women are pitted against each other? If history is any indication, it isn’t other women we need to be watching out for.
We have to do better. We have to teach our daughters better. There’s no competition because we all have a place in this world. The only competition we have is within ourselves. We have to stop accepting questions that suggest women are against one another. Instead, we should openly and unapologetically show support for other women in public and in private.
So, I want to speak directly to mothers. If you are a daughter’s mother, teach her to support women and appreciate her network of women around her. Don’t teach her that some girls are just mean; teach her to ask them why they hate themselves so much to bring others down. Teach your daughters to be faithful to other women. Let her know women are the strongest humans in this world, so she should remember that strength in herself. Help her understand that being sensitive is a superpower because expressing your emotions is a true sign of strength.
Women are natural nurtures, so why aren’t we raising our daughter to tap into that potential? Showing care for this world is the only thing that can help us reach something better. Here are some tips on raising women who support women:
1. Confidence
Make sure you teach them that they will find everything they need in terms of validation within themselves and not by breaking down someone else.
2. Use Their Voice
Teach them what to say when they meet women who tear other women down and give them the communication skills to respond to toxicity.
3. Education
Give them the resources to learn about other women throughout history. One of the things that men are better at is the comradeship of teaching young men about their legacy. Women should do the same because so many women grow up unaware of all women’s incredible inventions and innovations.
4. Set An Example
Show them to celebrate women even when the media (etc.) are trying to tear women down. We need to teach the next generation to be proud of those women for daring to be different!
This story was submitted to Love What Matters by Dr. Zabina Bhasin. You can follow her mission on Instagram and her website. Follow her personal Instagram account here. Submit your own story here and be sure to subscribe to our free email newsletter for our best stories, and YouTube for our best videos.
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