Celebrating Women
I am excited about this time of year because March brings spring which brings new life. I am a March baby which always happens one day before International Women’s Day (IWD). I’ve grown a passion for women empowerment over the last five years so this time of year is celebratory. Just like many beauty brands out there, Lip Republic’s existence circles around empowerment + confidence. We empower our customers to use their voice and let us know what they want. We allow customers to choose what goes into their lip colour during a custom session. You Choose. We Mix.
Ask me about empowerment ten years ago, I probably wouldn’t have known what to tell you. Maybe I would have muttered “I don't have an opinion on that” and gone about my day. But here I am now, building a brand with empowerment carved right into its values, so I'm happy to say I've come a long way.
According to the International Women’s Day (IWD) official website,
“International Women's Day (March 8) is a global day celebrating the social, economic, cultural, and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating women's equality.”
My understanding of IWD and the movement toward equality developed over years of self-discovery + reflection, a handful of books, documentaries, and time spent volunteering for a local non-profit called Dress for Success Regina. My combined experiences working with clients, other volunteers, and the board of directors made me understand the importance for us to support each other.
From the Saskatchewan government website:
One in every eight women employed in Saskatchewan runs her own business, which puts female entrepreneurship in the province above the national average and fourth highest among provinces.
Although we're above average, women still have a long way to go before we can say we’ve achieved true equality. Again, from the International Women’s Day website:
“According to the World Economic Forum, sadly none of us will see gender parity in our lifetimes, and nor likely will many of our children. Gender parity will not be attained for almost a century.“
It’s on us to continue the work of those who advocated before us and pass the baton to the next generation so they can work toward seeing a more equal world. Drawing from some of my experiences, some ways that could help tip the scale:
- Find opportunities to help our children become leaders + teach them about equality, respect, and treatment of women
- Choosing to speak up in moments where normally you’d say nothing, recoiled, or changed the subject
- Shifting your mentality from competition to community. Genuinely wanting to see other women find success, even if they’re in the same industry or job role as you.
- Uplifting and encouraging women to advocate for themselves and for each other. Helping women realize their potential and worth.
Today we celebrate International Women’s Day (IWD) and this year the theme is Choose to Challenge. Together, we choose to challenge inequality. Challenge brings change.
______
The photos for this post was a collaboration of talent from the incredible women listed below. The vision for this shoot was to capture a balance between the strength and femininity of a woman. You can be a strong, independent woman AND be soft and playful at the same time. I'd like to thank these women for coming together in a special way to celebrate International Women's Day.
Photographer: Betheny Allen
Makeup: Ginette Hall
Wardrobe: Kendi Boutique