Happy International Women's Day!

Today isn't just about being a feminist and fighting for our rights and freedoms, it's about empowering all women to believe in themselves and the choices they make.  We can't know every womans situation, what struggles she goes through each and every day, but we can support all women and be a support system for one another.  

As women we do have unique issues and struggles that men will never experience, whether it is physical, emotional or put upon us by society.  In order to overcome or be able to safely and unapologetically deal with these issues we need to be there for each other, open our eyes and hearts to understand the challenges other women face, even if not what we are personally dealing with.  Women in Arab countries have different struggles than women in Asian countries, and women in America have different issues that are important to them than women in Africa, we all are different, but at the same time we are all Women and need to be there for one another.  

Most importantly we need to raise our young women to be strong, independent, and kind hearted, to not allow others to determine the course of their future or to force them into slavery or abuse at the hands of someone physically stronger than them, we can overcome that with education and empathy.  We each can stand up for ourselves and for other women at the same time.  Each and every time we speak out against misogyny and the oppression of women in any situation we are standing up for someone who may not be able to, we are empowering women to believe in themselves and fight for what is important to them.  Even if their goals as a woman and their fight is different than yours, it is no less important and we all deserve to have a voice.

Today is a day to honor ALL women, not just the women we agree with politically, but all women across the world.  Let's be a support system that we can turn to at any time of need, no matter what that need is, I encourage you to open your heart and your mind to women voicing their concerns, to really listen to what they are saying and why they feel the need to speak out.  Let today be the start of a new era where women truly support one another as women, not as a political talking point; let us be here for one another and every day hereafter ~ We are Strong, We are United and We are Women!!