On March 8, International Women’s Day will be celebrated across Canada. This year, the Government of Canada’s theme for the celebration is “Strength in every story.”
When I learned what this year’s theme would be, it got me thinking about the women in my life who have gotten to where they are today through unique ways. The most important of these is my mother. You can gather that being named Brontë meant that I was born into a family that had a taste for the arts – particularly English literature.
This is true, as my mother was an English major in university, and named me after Charlotte Brontë, one of her favourite female authors. Despite my mother’s love for academia and her desire to become an English professor, upon having me, she made the decision to homeschool. While I have mixed emotions about homeschooling now as an adult, I cannot deny the amount of time and effort that my mother took into raising me at the loss of her own personal career ambitions.
This is something that I do not take lightly and greatly thank her for. Due to her sacrifice, I was able to have a childhood where I had the opportunity to explore my creative horizons beyond the everyday 8 to 3 school monotony.
I had the opportunity to take my English classes through an online-based program called
the Classical Learning Resource Center and enjoyed it so much that I took classes during the summer months as well (insane, I know).
Without my mother’s influence in my life, I would not have been exposed to these opportunities. Thinking of it now, the ripple effect of not being homeschooled would have made my life vastly different. I can say that it is unlikely I would be in this role today, which makes me furious as it has been one of the highlights of my life and I will be very sad to see it come to an end.
While I have been lucky to have a mother who is eager to be included in my life, I know that not all are so lucky. If you do not have a close relationship with your own mother, I hope you know that the relationship you have with the women around you who you look up to is just as important.
Equally important are transgender women, who are still overlooked in conversations surrounding International Women’s Day. We see you, and this day is for you as much as it is for cisgender women. There is room for all, and if you are excluding trans women from conversations surrounding International Women’s Day, then you are missing out on a vital part of the conversation. As the theme for this year’s celebration makes apparent, there is “strength in every story.”
While our mothers are the first women we know, we come across many in our lives who will have an impact on us. Friends, sisters, coworkers – even those you are acquaintances with. Each woman I have come across has had some impact on my life. Without them, I would be a lesser woman myself.
So, as you head into International Women’s Day this year, take time to notice the women in your life who have had an impact on you or who are out doing the work in our communities. Take them out for a coffee, let them know you admire them and keep the conversation going.
The work does not start and end on March 8. Together, we can work towards equality for all women, hand in hand.
Rytham Sahini/Creative Director
