My thoughts on International Women’s Day

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Happy International Women’s day!

Did you even know that today is International Women’s Day?

Have a read of what it means to ME and my thoughts on today.

About International Women’s Day

International Women’s Day (IWD) is celebrated annually on March 8 with this years campaign theme being #BalanceforBetter

The intention of International Women’s Day is to be YOUR day and do what you can to truly make a positive difference for women.

What is International Women’s Day?

I think International Women’s Day means different things to different people, but the global focus on equality and celebration is clear. For me it means recognising what women do, have done, can do and what women do do.

It’s not easy being a woman and don’t get me wrong I know it’s not easy being a man (however much you hate your ex-husband or your child’s father .. be the bigger person and agree with me 😉 !) but women, whether it’s down to equality or not; really do seem to pull the short straw through most of their lives particularly when it starts to involve children too.

Let’s talk about flex

In the past 8 years since my first born I’ve gone through numerous flexible working applications, countless appeals (because a WOMAN didn’t support a WOMAN I will add!), I’ve had mental health issues that resulted in my having cognitive behavioural therapy and I have left what was quite a comfortable and (eventually after all the hard work was done!) a term time job for my own health and wellbeing.

Whatever your gender, the time when your children need you the most is the time of which you should be enjoying every single minute without worrying about what people think when you are in late from watching your child in an assembly. Or leave early because you have to pick up your child from school because they are sick.

I felt that there are so many people in a workplace full of judgment, jealousy and have a general lack of understanding as far as being a woman OR mother is concerned because whether we want to accept it or not it is fact that the majority of time it is the mother that has to endure all of this and sometimes it just gets too much.

Leaving my public sector job and setting up my own business, with my own independence has not only given me the flexibility I need as far as looking after my children it’s been a godsend as far as my mental health is concerned. It’s something I wish I had been in a position to do many years ago but I am so proud of myself of where I am now & everything happens for a reason.

I do get a little bit defensive when it comes to the super strong feminist comments I see with regards to equality and IWD because there are a lot of women chose to be where they are today… or is it a case of most of us just accepting the fact ‘that’s just how it is now’?

THAT is why there is IWD because we should NOT accept that’s ‘just how it is’. If you WANT to what or you chose to do absolutely fine.. it’s worth noting I’m referring to money, parenting and work life here nothing more. I could do tons of blog posts on other ways in which we are discriminated against; in parliament for example where very few have any clue whatsoever but I won’t go there today!

Wage discrimination

That isn’t necessarily the case for the women who has worked just as hard if not harder as the man sat to the desk at the side of them but are on £10k less annual pay. The same woman who cannot invest in her future like the man next to her because of the gender pay gap, the woman who took a year off maternity and has missed out on contributing to part of the pension because of the lack of pay or even the woman who decided to take a career break only to find out when it’s too late they are no longer entitled to the state pension at 68.

The gender pay gap is a massive issue particularly in the private sector however I’ve never experienced that in the Public Sector to be fair so I can’t really comment or say that it’s affected my directly but something I do want to add is that pay not only differentiates between men and women doing the same job; it’s sometimes quite radically different between men doing the same job as men and women doing the same job as women too.

Yes my husband was on more money than me and to be fair at the time we couldn’t share maternity but it wouldn’t have made sense for him to reduce his hours. Not because of the gender pay gap… that had absolutely nothing to do with it whatsoever. I CHOSE not to have the same job or go down the same route as him… I could’ve if I had wanted to but I didn’t want that.

The main thing that I personally take from International Women’s Day is that it gives us an ideal important opportunity to educate and inspire children about the role of women in society and promote that women can do absolutely anything they want to do.

I always remember finding it quite odd that when my husband first started work at an aerospace company 15+ years ago that out of maybe 50 apprentices there were just two women.

But why did I find that so odd?

My thought were that women don’t do hands on mechanical or electrical work… do they?

My Mum worked in an office, my Grandma was a nurse, my friends mum’s also worked in an office or were too nurses or cleaners… all the women I knew just did what women did! But how stereotypically was that of me?

There was absolutely no reason why I had thoughts like this; no one told me it was because ‘that’s what women do’ but to think that at that time of my life I thought it was crazy and quite amusing that a woman wanted to ‘fix things’ makes me so mad!

I was 16 at the time and both of those women could’ve continued to be what my husband is today… whether they chose to do so or not I really don’t know.

When is International women’s day?

Although today IS international Women’s day and we should always look to support fellow women as best as we can… I really want to take this day to continously remind everyone, particularly children and those in a younger generation than yourself, that anyone can do anything.

I already do my bit to ensure that the future for girls is bright, equal, safe and rewarding without specifically relating to either gender when discussing things with my kids as I feel by doing so is what has caused or paid quite a big part in the need for this kind of day in the first place!

I’d love to hear what you think about International Women’s Day?

Do you agree or have your own thoughts.. drop me a comment down below and be sure to check out some of my fellow UKMB posts also posted on #IWD19

https://www.themoneyprinciple.co.uk/increase-your-income/

https://www.mrsmummypenny.co.uk/international-womens-day-financial-empowerment-for-women/

https://joleisa.com/recognising-the-value-of-these-phenomenal-women-who-do-me

https://ladyjaney.co.uk/good-customer-service-do-women-do-it-better/

https://www.moneynuggets.co.uk/close-the-financial-gender-gap/

https://bronni.co.uk/2019/03/08/why-women-dont-invest/

https://www.skintedmintedmum.co.uk/2017-12-05-15-07-01/how-to-invest-for-beginners-in-2019.html

https://brokegirlinthecity.com/balance-better-iwd/

Thanks for reading!

Kirsty x