I’m still not entirely sure why men get the day off (I suppose something to do with equality and all that), but I feel that it shouldn’t be a day off in the traditional sense. You have to earn your place this Women’s Day, and that means ticking off a few items on this list.
Thank one woman today
Whether it’s your mother, your sister, your rubbish lady or your old high school flame, get hold of one woman and show your appreciation for her role in your life with a sincere ‘thank you’. It will be appreciated more than you know.
Do something good for a woman you don’t know
Whether it’s letting someone cut in line ahead of you, offering your chair or claiming that fart in yoga class, be a little bit selfless and make another woman feel good for no other reason than they probably deserve it.
Do something ‘girly’
Ugh! My absolute worst phrase is ‘that’s for girls’. That’s just not true. Even tampons can be used to stop a nose bleed. So, particularly if you’re one of those ‘macho men’, step out of your comfort zone and do something you would never do. Use moisturizer, eat a chicken salad wrap, don’t stand around the braai… just do something different.
Don’t use any sexist clichés
This should be every day of the year, but if you feel yourself wanting to laugh at a ‘wife should be in the kitchen’ joke or hear someone say comment on ‘hormonal woman’ – stop yourself and call them out.
Acknowledge your bias
Women’s Day is about celebrating women – as equals. Because when we are finally considered equals, we won’t need a whole day or month dedicated to acknowledging the imbalance.
If you’re extremely open-minded, good for you. But chances are a bit of self-evaluation will reveal you have some preconceived bias about ‘women’s roles’ vs ‘men’s roles’ that you haven’t addressed. Just take 10 minutes of self-reflection this Women’s Day.
We deserve it!
