- IIIF Workshop
Reflections and International Women's Day
This year with more press around gender equality with #Metoo, 'Time's Up', the centenary since (some) women first got the right to vote in the UK, and my Aurora reading has made be consider more about my female role models and how I can be a role model for my son and daughter.
Since starting to work in IT I have regularly found myself the only female, in my first few jobs I was the only woman in the teams I worked in. I can't remeber this ever being an issue for me and I am fortunate to have made lots of friends and supporters during these jobs. Whether my colleagues have treated me differently because of my gender, I don't know, I was never aware of it.
I have however been 'different' in these teams and due to feeling an imposter tried to fit in. Upon reflection, I realise that although I have tried to stand-out less I have also been comfortable with a bit being different. I'm not 100% comfortable with being in my own skin, like many I wish I was taller and thinner. However, my heroines from books and films when I was a teenager were different and still got the guy (which was very important at the time) Margaret Hale, Lucy Honeychurch, Elizabeth Bennet, Trillian, Frances Houseman. My role models closer to home, my grandma, nanna, and mum were all working women who instilled in me a strong work ethic and interest in people; their pride in me and unconditional love is what I most wish to pass to my children.