Happy International Women's Day 2022 👭

This International Women's Day, I look up to Chanel Contos, who has been the driving force behind the "teach us consent" initiative. I admire her determination and strength to challenge the education system to do better in the ways that we educate young people about consent, and am proud that my son will grow up in a world where he will learn about consent from a young age!

I also want to celebrate the amazing women I work with here on the SANE Forums @Former-Member @cloudcore @Former-Member @Paperdaisy @tyme, who give so much of themselves to supporting others and forging a mental health system that is person centred and recovery focussed. I am inspired by their passion and compassion every day 🙂

Who will you celebrate today?

Tagging a few members, but please feel free to tag more!

@Shaz51 @Judi9877 @frog @Emelia8 @Faith-and-Hope @Eve7 @Zoe7 @Krishna @Bow @Appleblossom @CrazyChick @Bunniekins

I'm very touched by that @Daisydreamer & I am also just as inspired by our colleagues as well as you. Really incredible to have such women of quality in my life.

One woman I’d like to quickly celebrate is the late artist, activist, feminist Frida Kahlo. I really admire her strength and courage for speaking up about those topics important to her at a time in history where it wasn’t seen as that.

Portrait Frida Kahlo sourced from MOMA webpage 

I also really love the relationship with her art making & used it to illustrate, document & inform others about her experience of chronic pain as well as traumatic life experiences.

I saw her works when they came to the NSW Art Gallery and they were more magical than I had expected. Her passion speaks through her works.

Arbol de la Esperanza (Tree of Hope), 1946

Role model:
Totally beaded kitchen by artist Liza Lou - took 5 years to complete from 1991 - 1996 - speaks to me of valuing the work involved in keeping a home. Lou quit art school when her tutors did not accept glass beads as her medium of choice. She has gone on to establishing a studio in South Africa and supporting housing and care for women bead artisans in her local community there. She is also an established artist in New York.

I want to celebrate the work of Audre Lorde, who was an American writer, feminist, and civil rights activist, and apart of the lgbt+ community. Her words have become a mantra of mine nearly every day for the past few years:

Happy international women's day!! 💓

@Daisydreamer @cloudcore @Faith-and-Hope @Former-Member

I want to celebrate all those women who have broken free of family violence and all those that advocate, support and help those in this area to rebuild their lives. ....and all those women that endure violence in any form, my hope that they find the help and support to find their way through 💖

No one famous, just the every day women in my life that stand up for change. Who speak for those that can’t speak, those that despite society, despite people in power, all trying to silence the roar, continue to advocate for change.

Those that despite the hand that they have been dealt, continue to put one foot in front of the other and keep on keeping on. Those that are brave and courageous, that are kind and compassionate, when the world tries to snuff out their light, they continue to shine for justice.

thats who I want to celebrate this international womens day. You don’t have to have a platform to make a difference, you can simple be the difference in your world.