An equal world is an enabled world
Uma Mageswary T.
A dreamer who manages media & comms | A writer who writes what she feels | A bibliophile who can't live without her kindle
"I am Adora, He-Man's twin sister and defender of the Crystal Castle. This is Spirit, my beloved steed. Fabulous secrets were revealed to me the day I held aloft my sword and said: For the honour of Greyskull. I am She-Ra!"
As a child, She-Ra intrigued me. I never missed an episode. Why? Because I was happy that He-Man had an equally strong sister who used her intelligence and wits to save the universe. She was emphatic and understanding. And whenever she pulled out her Sword of Protection and turned Spirit into Swift Wind, I had goosebumps. Every single time!
Adora was soft-spoken, but as She-Ra, her voice was powerful and garnered attention. This gave me the impression that women could be powerful when they wanted to. To Adora, it was the Sword of Protection that gave her the power. But everyone is different.
It was the power of words that made Jane Austen one of the most influential female writers in history. And it was from reading her novels that I grew profoundly fond of words and writing whatever that came to mind. Imagine using intelligence to replace harshness at all times. Wouldn't our lives be calmer if we all lived like we were in a Jane Austen novel? Some of us could have even found our very own Mr Darcy!
To quote Ms Austen, it isn't what we say or think that defines us, but what we do. Just like her, to me, a pen is indeed mightier than a sword. No offence to She-Ra! She's still one of my favourite. I use words to make a difference. To tell people what I think. And I definitely share this trait with many women who want their voices heard.
For decades, women around the world have struggled for gender equality. Today, besides being full-time providers, they are still responsible for household routines such as cooking, cleaning, raising the kids and caring for their partners.
International Women's Day (IWD) is celebrated on 8 March every year and used as a platform to empower and support women everywhere who are mobilising for an equal future. This year's celebration has been themed as #EachforEqual, drawing attention to the idea that gender disparity isn't a women's issue, but an economic one. Gender equality is quintessential for economies and communities to flourish.
The campaign aims to raise awareness against bias and celebrate women's achievements to help bring about change. Even though it may take years or decades before gender parity is achieved, a more gender-balanced world is being forged every single day.
An equal world is an enabled world. Every one of us can do our bit to bring about gender equality. Happy International Women's Day!
#EachforEqual