A word on International Women's Day

International Womens Day - a day too important to ignore, we have come to far and it's also a day to visualise on how we can move forward and closer to equality. When it comes to broader equality in the UK we are pretty lucky, we can vote, work, buy a house, raise children, same sex marriage and plenty of things we overlook and take for-granted that are simply not options in other countries. That doesn't mean to say we don't face inequality in some form daily because we still very much do!

I've always been outgoing, I've always been a bit of a Tomboy, I mean why shouldn't I have my hair short, go skateboarding or do Judo (as well as like fashion etc) and these simple decisions should be seen in the same vain as wanting to do dance lessons, bake or enjoy buying makeup, why is it still one set is seen as "normal" and the other as weird? The amount of times people that have said rude, mean and nasty things to me at a skatepark or walking down the street is more than I can remember, or when the boys would make fun at me at Judo and then I would proceed to throw them for an Ippon!. All of these things however I'd let go over my head (although we shouldn't have to) I wasn't concerned by them, it was their problem not mine and put it down to immaturity of the teenage boys saying them. The thing is wether it's rude and hurtful words about how you dress, weight, colour or catcalling while you walk on your way to work it's just should be something we have to ignore or rise above, it should be happening in the first place. Because of this I remind my boys daily that gender equality is normal and woman are just as capable as men in every aspect.

I'm more passionate about women's rights and I am also more annoyed than ever before because I as a mother have found I've been subjected to more preconceived notions in society of what a mother's role should be, what we should be doing and much wanting to fit me into a box.  When my eldest arrived I still had a year of University to go, lucky I had done enough work that I only needed to attend two days a week but wow it was a struggle, not because of juggling a newborn baby and University but because I had people close to me who actively felt I should give up my dreams and be a house wife, that unless my house was spotless and food on the table I was failing. These people who offered very little support when I was asking for very little in return, that still makes me angry today but regardless I preserved through a very difficult year and graduated for Me and for my sons, not for anyone else. As a woman I value my education, I value being a role model to my children and of course I value the gift that is motherhood.

Even now that I have established myself as a freelancer, working from home, making my own money from a business and idea I built up from nothing it's still often referred to as a "hobby" by many, perhaps this is the nature of the freelance writing and creative industry I work in but I doubt it would be a hobby for a man supporting their family doing the same? Of course these issues are small and nothing in comparison to those women who have little to no rights and are years away from gaining any but while we tackle the larger issues abroad, on the home front we need to tackle the smaller issues too by educating our sons, our fathers, our partners and to never apologise for wanting equality, never.

Also the Rise-up t-shirt I am wearing at the start of this post is by a female owned and run company called TomboyX - I love their #Humanagenda ethos and their eco process and fair wage manufacturing process. Check them out