Embrace Equity

I was overcome with nostalgia when I learned that the topic for International Women's Day in 2023 was “DigitAll: Innovation and Technology for Gender Equality”, and “Embrace Equity”

Allow me to take you on a trip down memory lane. While I was in school, I chose technical drawing

for my grade 8 subject. My main justification for choosing this subject was that I would never be forced to take Home Economics in school if my mother couldn't get me to cook and sew at home. Was I a technical drawing prodigy? No. Was I at a disadvantage because I had never used the tools? Yes. Did my teacher did feel a little unsure about how to teach a few girls? Yes. Did I switch subjects because it irritated me to feel like I was lagging behind the boys? YES. A few years later, I faced another challenge, at a different school. The school did not provide my desired subject combination, Biology had to be selected as a "self-study" subject, allowing me to pursue my future studies in

Science.

Even though it has been close to 30 years, it saddens me to see that young girls still deal with some of similar issues today. The educational system is not as inclusive of young girls in STEM programs. As young girls and women are excluded from paths that society has deemed "better suited for men," the

confidence gap keeps growing.

While granted my initial career path was in Science up until the age of 23 (a story for another day), a change in paths still had me fight for my seat at the table. When I was finally got my seat, I was ecstatic . YES! Finally, a place reserved for men has my name. Equality! I am one of “them.” But why did I have to fight so hard to be here, and when did I become so hard, and unyielding? Many a times, I heard from peers, and even family, “ you have a very masculine energy about you”. Then if I could pat myself on the back I would have, because of course masculine meant power, and power meant my fight to get recognised was worth it. Or was it? The boys club sucked! The smoking cigars and drinking whisky wasn’t all it was made out to be. I felt overexposed but still underestimated. The fight to be equal made me unrecognisable to myself. Where is my soft side, my fun side, has SHE disappeared? It got me thinking about Equality and Equity. Equality is about being equal in status and rights to achieve success. Equity is giving each what they need to be successful. Equity may mean different things for different people. For some it may mean resources, give them the right tools to be on equal footing as their male counterparts. Equity could be access to knowledge and more time invested, as is the case of young girls in STEM Programmes. Personally for me Equity was the freedom to let my femininity shine. After years of being told, “you need to be tough, and thick skinned if you want to be successful”, I realised I don’t. My vulnerability is my strength not my weakness. My power comes from embracing all that makes me an amazing woman, balanced with a sprinkle of that masculine energy that is also

me.

For me Embracing Equity is not being silent, it is showing others what I need and laying the foundation for others to do the same.