International Women’s Day is held annually on March 8. It celebrates the different achievements of women socially, economically, culturally and politically. It acts as a reminder that there is still a lot more to be done for women’s equality in the world and encourages the world to be part of the ongoing conversation.
Getting To Happy celebrates 8 women and their stories this month.
Christie Nair is a National Showjumper in Singapore. Here is her link: Instagram
Share a time a woman has inspired you in an area of your life and how/why that impacted you.
Christie: There is an incredible 13-year-old rider who has overcome immense hardship that many people even my age have yet to experience. She has dealt with it with maturity and grace, and despite all the challenges she faced she continued to excel in everything that she did. She spreads love and positivity to others no matter what she is dealing with in the background. She is kind and loving and doesn’t let her struggles define or restrict her. She uses what she has lost as motivation to achieve more. Hearing her story and seeing what she has managed to achieve at such a young age inspires me every day to continue to pursue my own goals no matter how many obstacles I have to overcome.
IWD 2023’s theme is #EmbraceEquity, what does that mean to you?
Christie: The theme “Embrace Equity” is representative of the unfortunate fact that the present global culture and society is not ready for equality. It is an acknowledgement that society treats being a woman as a disability and a weakness. Equity is the process that we need to embrace to bridge the gap and address the social imbalance before we can strive for equality.
The status quo is a society that boasts and values men over women. In order to restore the balance, we need more than equal opportunities. Women, especially in the workplace and in their education, need to be positively valued, promoted and supported. Embracing equity is about affirmative action until we reach a point where society rewards men and women equally.
How does supporting or empowering women in your life look for you?
Christie: In the Singapore equestrian sphere, I am extremely privileged to be in a position where I can inspire younger girls in the sport. There are many ambitious young girls striving to compete at the highest level who have a shared love for the sport and for horses. It is a sport that depends heavily on mental fortitude.
I hope that sharing the knowledge that I’ve gained from difficult horses, bad falls and countless eliminations over the years empowers them to keep fighting to achieve their goals. I hope to support and encourage every single one of them in the same way that they have supported me and inspired me over the years. I want to make the most of the support that I have been blessed with to help each of them believe in their own strength even when the sport takes a mental toll.
Our community is dominated by strong young women, and I hope we can continue to inspire each other and push each other every day.
Jezreel Castro is an F&B Digital Marketeer based in Singapore. Here are her links: Instagram | Website
Share a time a woman has inspired you in an area of your life and how/why that impacted you.
Jezreel: There are so many names to go through – each inspiring me in different areas and seasons of life since I’ve met so many mentors! But I’d have to undoubtedly say, my mom. She’s a strong woman who took on the world with 3 little kids. She raised us with her village of other women with kids our age while my dad worked overseas. Being a mother is such a selfless and thankless job to undertake and through her, I saw how one can love deeply and fiercely.
It also allowed me to see that I can be gentle and strong at the same time – one doesn’t have to exist without the other.
IWD 2023’s theme is #EmbraceEquity, what does that mean to you?
Jezreel: For me, equity is catered opportunity towards an individual’s background and situation. It’s about giving people the right resources they need to succeed in life depending on their circumstances. I quite like the idea that no matter where you’re standing, you can be given the chance to be in the same field as others.
Also, the act of “embracing” to me means that I too have a part to play in owning it and extending this to those around me. Not just a passing activity but having to personally live it out.
How does supporting or empowering women in your life look for you?
Jezreel: I am currently a mentor to younger ladies who are in their late teens to early 20s. We share life together over a cup of tea, after watching a movie, over dinner and in other casual settings. We empower each other by listening, giving advice and just overall being there for one another in different life milestones.
I think one of the greatest gifts we can give to others is passing on hard-earned knowledge for free. It can also be liberating to learn that there are others who have gone through what you might be facing and came out to the other side stronger and better. It definitely gives you a boost of confidence to take the world head-on.
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Find out more about International Women’s Day at www.internationalwomensday.com
#IWD2023 #EmbraceEquity
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