With International Women's Day just 11 days ago I've been thinking a lot about what I wish for you and your life. As a woman I've experienced hardship in my life, maybe not to the extreme of unequal pay or being turned down opportunities because of my gender, but I have definitely had my fair share of cat calling, 'slut-shaming' and other types of so called 'casual' sexism.
I don't want this for you, Freya. We're making headway in the fight against equality, we're 100 times more equal than we were fifty or a hundred years ago, but we still have a long way to go. With that in mind, here's a list of things I hope for you and your life.
1) I hope you see another female Prime Minister lead this country.
2) I hope that you are able to realise when something isn't good enough for you and walk away.
3) I hope you'll grow up knowing that women are just as strong and powerful as men, but that you always stay a daddy's girl.
4) I hope you will always feel confident in yourself, personality and body wise. Body confidence is so important and I wish I'd learnt that sooner.
5) I hope you will always believe in yourself, no matter how many knock backs you experience.
6) I hope you will have the ability to stand up for yourself and don't let anyone, man or woman, disrespect you.
7) I hope you will learn how to take care of your body and nourish it without letting the media or the internet teach you that enjoying food is wrong.
8) I hope you are confident enough to say no. If you don't want to do something, don't do it. Never let anyone force or pressure you into doing something you aren't sure of, even if it's just a tiny niggle.
9) I hope you are always thankful for your talents and don't give them up. Being gifted with a talent is such an amazing thing, and I hope you never take that for granted.
10) I hope you are able to live your life how you want to, without judgement. I want you to be able to grow up in a world where you are completely equal to your brother, cousin, uncle, father. I want you to have the same qualifications as the man going against you for the same job and for him to get it because he's better suited to the role, not just because he's a man. I want you to feel comfortable being a stay at home mum if that's what you want to do because it's the decision that YOU have made, not because 'you're a woman' and that's what you feel like you're supposed to do.
I want a lot of things for you, Freya, and I hope with all my heart that you get them.
All my love,
Mummy x
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