Celebrate Women: That About Wraps It Up

photo © 2008 Voldy Morton | more info (via: Wylio)
As we wrap up our month of posts about women's issues, the question we're posing today is how to raise awareness of women's issues both locally and globally. I figure that should be easily answered in a blog post. Done and done.

Oh, wait.

I wish it could be so simple. That just reading a post about feminist parenting could erase all inequity. That reading about how women inspire one another creatively would free all women to pursue creativity. That celebrating women through blogging could easily translate to all women celebrating themselves without shame.

Sadly it's not that simple.

There will still be women who doubt that they have anything to offer to their communities. There will still be children raised in homes where boys are valued more than girls. There will still be women who are ashamed to embrace their strength and femininity in equal parts.

But we can help it change.

We can encourage one another. Men, women, children. We celebrate not only women, but all people. Because the more I understand my own value, the more I can help others recognize the value that they have. The more that I embrace my own gifts and talents, the more I can help others find ways they can contribute. The more I love my unique qualities as a woman, the more I can help other women embrace that in themselves.

Before we can celebrate women, we must celebrate ourselves.