Because the women in our lives, and those before and after us, deserve to be celebrated everyday, not just on a sunny March morning.
March has always been my favourite month; the sun graces us with her beauty for longer days, the flowers paint watercolours across greens, and animals awake from their slumber. But, more importantly, we immerse ourselves within the celebration of women of history and today.
As I am writing, I sit back to think. How can I write about the divinity of women? How can I begin to express my gratitude for the women that have come before me, and the ones who stand by my side today? Like the women before me, and those who will flourish after me, I will try.
It is not for me to define a woman, for how can I condense the complexity of womanhood and girlhood truly? Nor can I summarise the vastness of what being a woman is. But we do share one commonality among us; we have a vision to take our power back. Our rallies for equality date back to the Suffragette Movement, they would use their newly found voices throughout debates, in particular, for the right of women to vote. I often think of the world that we might have had to endure, without this group of brave and bold women.
It is here where we should consider how far this movement has come, and to celebrate the achievements of those before us. On a dreary October morning in 1967, the United Kingdom legalised abortion, allowing women to take back their self-governance. In 1972, the first issue of Spare Rib (the first feminist magazine in the UK), where articles were written by women, for women. Come to the Millenia, we reach a third wave of feminism, more specifically intersectional feminism. For, we must hold hands, and stand together to celebrate our differences and equally respect them.
I would like to take this moment to thank the women who have fought for us throughout the centuries, and those who fight by our side today.
We are still rallying to be heard, but we should be proud that one day our whispering became singing, the gender binary began to break, and in the darkness a candle became our daylight. Somewhere, in-between these moments, we will continue to heal.
And, it is for these reasons that…
I love being a woman.
Daisy Bignell is an aspiring poet, born in Surrey and raised in a small village. Having just finished her Masters degree in English Literature, from the University of Winchester. She is now taking time to focus exclusively on her writing. Her works have previously been published in literary magazines, most recently in the winter edition of 'Scribbles! When she isn't writing and reading, she is playing with her family dog, Crumble.
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