What is a woman?
As part of International Women’s Day celebrations last March 8, I as well as fellow members of the Women's Business Council Philippines were asked the following question: What is a woman?
Because as we know, a woman can be many things. They’re our loved ones; mothers and sisters as well as friends and colleagues. They’re a huge part of any country’s lifeblood, taking on the role of teachers, doctors, artists, entrepreneurs, and many more. It’s very hard to boil them down to just a single word or phrase.
But, we’re always up for a challenge. Aside from my own answer, I’ve also picked out three from my fellow women leaders from the council; the ones I feel really stood out the most.
Women are unsung heroes
Women have always been unsung heroes. Sure, we have the great women of history - leaders, trailblazers, scientists, and activists. But our heroism and leadership extends to the confines of our homes, from mothers and sisters bearing the labor that keeps the family running. It’s in the small sari-sari stores that communities relied on during a pandemic that saw everybody shuttered indoors.
We developed great multitasking skills, having been taught to look after ourselves while finding ways to thrive in this difficult world. We understand the importance of intersectionality, especially since we experience this on a daily basis.
Or take the so-called “glass cliff” where industries only ask women to take the reigns of leadership during times when they’re failing or when they’re embroiled in significant controversy, after refusing or otherwise hindering their climb to the top.
Like I said, it’s a thankless job. Yet we keep on going.
Women are impact-driven
Why do we do this though? I believe it’s because of empathy and compassion. Sure, these are traits stereotypically assigned to women but in this instance, I do think it’s true. It’s why we’ve got plenty of women in caregiving positions like nurses, especially in the Philippines. We call our mothers “ilaw ng tahanan.”
In my experience, this manifests in professional roles too, such as all the amazing leaders I’ve met at Women’s Biz. Despite the difficult position that is the “glass cliff,” female leaders still embrace the role with gusto. We demonstrate an impressive ability to manage through a crisis, at this point.
We work hard despite the massive challenges and risks ahead. We do this, because we believe we can make a difference.
Because like all the women before us who marched for equal rights, who brave the challenges of getting us represented in positions of leadership, it’s all about making an impact. It’s about eventually leaving these places as a much better place for the women who will come after us.
Women are influential
And because of that, we’re all able to leave a lasting influence. Women who’ve decided to embark on this thankless task are actually succeeding in these fields! For example, in a report by the World Economic Forum (WEF) for 2023, the Philippines has now attained 79.1 percent gender parity, coming in 16th out of 146 countries.
For reference, that’s a major improvement over its 19th spot previously, while also being the only country to break into the top 20. This to me indicates a positive shift that’s hopefully going to grow going forward, and it’s all thanks to the women being able to champion these changes at the very top.
Additionally, this cultivates an environment where more and more women are rising to the challenge. More are vying for higher positions as they climb the C-suite. Plenty are also choosing to start enterprises of their own, becoming leaders who are then able to give back.
For this year’s National Women’s Month celebration, the government has decided on the slogan “WE make CHANGE work for Women.” Emphasis on “WE” which stands for “Women and Everyone” because the march for gender equality should be the responsibility of everyone involved.
This is especially true for those who were able to face all odds to reach a position of power. We have to use what we’ve achieved in order to positively influence how our workplaces operate while building safe spaces for other women and minorities. Inspire them to dream big and to not be afraid to aim for bigger goals. Champion their voices and ensure they get the proper credit for their ideas.
After all, we still have a long way to go. Progress is increasing but honestly, we can only say we’ve made it when we achieve total gender parity all over the world. It’s an endeavor that will potentially take hundreds of years even. But it’s one worth doing.
We’ve made it to the top 20. Perhaps this year, we can aim for the top 10 when it comes to worldwide gender parity. Decades from now, maybe this ranking will be irrelevant as more and more nations reach 100 percent parity.
Taking all this into consideration, I have now arrived at the best answer I can give, one that embodies all the themes of this year’s Women’s Month, as well as my own personal journey and experience.
A woman is a multiplier. She is somebody who can take all these positive qualities and increase them tenfold. She’s somebody who’s able to lead us during a crisis, making the best use of limited resources and capabilities in order to achieve impressive results. Somebody who makes positive changes for the benefit of the others around her, and for those who will come after her.
A woman is someone who’s able to inspire all of these positive qualities in others, rallying them towards a positive change. Someone who continues to march for the right causes, leaving a lasting influence in their wake. A leader who’s always ready to take that first step. How about you? What is a woman to you?
