I am a truly believer that the next generations need to continue to evolve and be more mature and aware for the gender equality.
Recognize it is a fact, is the first step, and even if we live in a world that is much better than our mothers and grandmothers lived, still we need to continue to remind ourselves there is still some work to do.
I believe nowadays more than laws and women rights to fight for, is about the mindset and culture. Now the women can make their own decisions, but what are the decisions they are taking?
With this thinking I feel the education is the key platform that we need to aim, and keep building the awareness and responsibility also to the boys. And stop saying, “Yeah they are boys!!”.
When Chelsea Clinton launched the first book SHE PERSISTED, a kids book talking about stories of women that fought for their achievements, and the message was really inspiring, written in the last page:
“So, if anyone tells you no, if anyone ever says your voice isn’t important or your dreams are too big, remember these women. They persisted and so should you.”
I thought it was a great lesson for my son in that time with 10 years old. So we went to the book signing in NYC and for my great surprise he was shy and didn’t want to do any questions as this was a book for girls he was saying!
I didn’t say anything but I was determined to understand why he is feeling like that… But actually it helped that Chelsea’s dad was there, as after he took a picture with Bill Clinton, I was telling him that her dad had supported greatly her book, and to ask Bill Clinton if he thought the book was only for girls…he looked at me, and make this intrigued face.
At home we started to tell more stories from my mom, and family about the journey of being a women and letting him know that in Portugal my mom and all women couldn’t vote until 1976, after the revolution in 1974! And this was a big achievement and not so long time ago! I didn’t realize, but we actually never had these conversations with him…and there are some good stories in the family to resonate with him.
This Spring Chelsea Clinton launched the new book SHE PERSISTED Around The World, and we went again for the book signing in NYC. This time my baby girl was born and she was 2 months…the deal was we all go, and my son had a mission…make one question, and get a book for him to read in class.
He didn’t do the questions in the audience, but he did to Chelsea while she was signing it…the question was: “What are you persisting for? If you write about you what would be the story?”
Also my son read in class at school, and the teacher was so happy that he did it, as the class spent a full period talking about the book, making questions and telling other stories.
I believe we as parents have a role in the society, to move towards gender equality, so we have our girls and our boys in the future telling other stories where SHE and HE Persisted.
Thank you
AnnaJo
