‘This year’s theme for International Women’s Day particularly excites me in that it’s inclusive of all ages, as I believe we’re never too young to receive truth. Reinforcement of sound doctrine is essential in an age of cultural promiscuity where the boundaries of identity are disputed,’ says Hannah Wickens.
I envisage the 8th March as a day filled with celebration, beginning with our traditional birthday breakfast of home-made waffles drenched in maple syrup and culminating in cake and words of affirmation for my middle daughter who will turn seven on International Women’s Day.
I’ve been pondering the truths I want to reiterate to my daughter as part of our customary birthday practice, and in doing so, feel the weight of the additional exclamation mark of weaving in the global celebrations of womanhood, focusing on this year’s theme that it’s for all women and girls - empowerment, rights and equality.
Focusing on this year’s theme that it’s for all women and girls - empowerment, rights and equality.
These thoughts have spun like a cycle in an overloaded washing machine but have landed in a hope-filled place. My daughter watches a midday movie, a reprieve for me and for her too, as her source of divergent education. I happened to loiter during a rerun of Mary Poppins at the part where Winifred Banks exultantly sweeps her maids into a jubilant dance as she palpably rides the wave of victory after joining the women militantly marching for the right to vote for women.
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Much ground has been taken since those days in 1910, and yet I wonder too what true empowerment means for us and our daughters. I’m not interested in glib representation but only in integrity. My daughter asked me why there wasn’t a day to celebrate men when I told her about IWD, and indeed I thought that a fair question from an innocent six-year-old who is blessed with an intentional and loving father. I began to share with her about the history of oppression of women and endless tales of misogyny, but abruptly ended my lecture when it felt as if I were tainting her world view. Truthful as my reciting may have been, perhaps accelerated action for the younger generation may include an improved narrative where past wounds are forgiven, and equality is a resolute rule, without exception.
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Aristotle’s claim that a child is formed within the first seven years of life have shaped the bedrock of my parental intentions and I’ve had many discussions with my husband about the significance of building strong foundations in our children.
I believe every human wants to know who they are and what their purpose is; and so, we’ve endeavoured to reaffirm the identity of each daughter, predominantly as a child of God within the context of being unconditionally loved by him and by us and that, with God’s help, they can achieve anything in life.
When my first daughter, Liberti was born nine years ago, I invested in the Little People Big Dreams series, (Frances Lincoln Children’s Books) paying particular attention to women such as Gladys Aylward. I wanted to introduce my girls to women who frequently have humble origins and overcome multiple obstacles to accomplish great things. These stories often lead to insightful conversations with our girls, about forging a servant-hearted attitude and emphasising a life of surrender to God that might look different to our peers.
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My mother recently gave my eldest a book of 100 stories of courageous Christian women who have impacted society in a transformational way, such as Amy Carmichael who served as a missionary in India and Katherine Von Bora Luther who supported her husband Martin Luther, enabling him to achieve all that he did. These biographies have fuelled my desire to whole-heartedly serve God, and I believe they’ve sown seeds of similar aspirations for my girls.
This year’s theme for IWD particularly excites me in that it’s inclusive of all ages, as I believe we’re never too young to receive truth. Reinforcement of sound doctrine is essential in an age of cultural promiscuity where the boundaries of identity are disputed
The verses we instil within our girls, through daily repetition, epitomise a sense of self and genuine empowerment, that we’re ‘fearfully and wonderfully made’ in Psalm 139, and that we can ‘do all things through Christ Jesus who strengthens us’ from Philippians 4:13. Our hope is in the Lord, the only One who enables us to reach our full potential.
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