March 8th is International Women’s Day this 2022. This year’s message is #BreakTheBias wanting us to imagine a gender equal world with no stereotypes and discrimination. A diverse equitable and inclusive world, where we celebrate difference and ensure women’s equality.
Collectively we can all #BreakTheBias.
She Inspires Me
In the theme of #BreakTheBias, I wanted to mark this year’s International Women’s Day to write about my inspiration; my second daughter. A girl who breaks every gender stereotype and does not care about what anyone thinks.
I had no idea what to expect when I had two girls. You kind of expect them to be pretty similar, as you bring them up the same way but my girls are very different.
My middle daughter had her fourth Christmas and was only 3 years old when she wore a dress for the last time. My brother-in-law got married. She wore a similar style dress to her older sister and that was that. She never went back.
Out came her true style, who she was and this person was so far from the female gender stereotype as possible. I still remember clearing her wardrobe from anything pink, sparkly, tight; anything you could class as remotely feminine.
In came comfort, bagginess, superheroes, long shorts, baseball caps and high tops. Whatever she wore, she looked awesome. She wouldn’t dress up for any occasion. Even now I can’t get her to wear a pair of jeans. I know if we are invited a wedding, she will be in a shirt and trousers.
I still remember taking her to choose her school uniform and shoes, knowing full well she would be picking shorts and trousers and shoes that no matter how I dress it up, as from the “boys section”. I was right and she rocked her first day in reception.
You’d think there maybe a part of her that worries about not being the same as her peers; being different. Not having a party dress on. Not wearing a pink swimming costume, dressing up as Spiderman over Elsa, like so many of her female friends. But what makes me so proud, what makes her my inspiration, is she simply does not care. She is her and that’s all that matters.
We have always taught her she can be whoever she wants to be, regardless of her gender. She can dress how she wants, be friends with who she wants to be and do whatever she wants to in life. It is a strong message we give her daily and I would never pressure her to wear anything she is not comfortable in.
I almost wish I was like her now! I’m getting better at not caring but there will always be that part of me that does worry about what other people thinks.
I hope for her, she continues to be just her. Strong, comfortable in who she is. My fierce little girl!
Treat Your Inspiration with Buyagift
I’m writing this post in collaboration with Buyagift who are teaming up with the charity Girls Out Loud this year. This charity was set up in 2009 by Jane Kenyon who has used her previous experience as an entrepreneur in personal development to see the value and need to expand her work in helping teen girls.
With every purchase of the Treat Her Experience Box, Buyagift will be donating 10% of each sale towards Girls Out Loud, a
charity with the mission to empower and inspire teenage girls in the UK and beyond, to have confidence, self-belief, and emotional resilience.
The Treat Her Experience Box is a wonderful present to gift the inspirational woman in your life this International Day as a way of thanks. You can feel proud to support a wonderful cause in helping to inspire and support the next generation of strong females. This donation will run for two weeks starting on the 22nd of February until the 8th of March 2022.
The Treat Her Experience Box priced at £49.99 and offers a selection of experiences with 2,955 locations
available at venues UK wide. Offering every experience from fine dining to supercar driving and overnight glamping breaks to
delightfully decadent afternoon teas, there is something for everyone!
Why not treat that inspirational person in your life?
Disclosure – we were provided with product in exchange for this post. All thoughts and opinions are our own.
