Wonder Women

2023. Blimey.

• In a world where professional boundaries training is still required to remind staff that sexual harassment is not ok, another reminder that IT IS NOT OK!!
• Read ‘Wolfpack’ by Abby Wambach and then find your pack. Raise each other up. Help other women progress.
• Self-reflection and admitting when we’re unsure are essential tools, but constant and excessive self-doubt will make you miserable. Consider… where does it come from? Does our society really like confident women? Can we say fuck that and try anyway??
• Read ‘Come as you are’ and ‘Burnout’ by Emily Nagoski and then consider how restricted we are living in a society where women are rewarded only for being calm, mild-mannered, pretty, humble and always putting the needs of others before her own. Sometimes we need to get sodding angry. Absolutely furious. Think how the media treats women who go against the expected traits by being strong, angry, successful, proud. Yeah, like that.
• All vulvas are normal. I repeat. All vulvas are normal. Shame around women’s bodies is so deeply embedded in our culture. People cringe away from even my Barbie-like obstetric mannequin they are so programmed to be disgusted by female genitalia. Screw that. ALL VULVAS ARE NORMAL, yours (if you have one) is beautiful and our bodies are fricking awesome!
• Let’s normalize the effect menstrual cycles and menopause have on women in the workplace. Some days are going to be more challenging than others. Tampons do not need to be discussed in a stage whispers. Hot water bottles in the ambulance cabs? Normal. Being willing to put on a few layers to help a colleague having a hot flush so they can turn on the aircon? Standard.
• While maybe it’s a British thing to talk down any achievements and push back on praise with self-criticism, I would say this is more prevalent amongst my female students. So let this be the year we accept praise with a ‘thank you’, celebrate our victories and allow ourselves to enjoy them without labeling ourselves as ‘smug’ / ‘boastful’ / ‘full of ourselves’ or any other label that somehow seem to stick to women far more than men. To this end I share here a thank you letter from my most recent training course. I’m a good teacher. See, easy 🙂