International Women’s Day 2023
The 8 March sees us celebrate International Women’s Day, a date in the calendar that has been formally marked since 1910. The theme for 2023 is ‘embrace equity’ so let’s throw our arms round one another in acceptance that we are all who we are. Each unique, each with unique needs and with different life paths and opportunities. When we all start from the same place; a level playing field, equality is the division or resource equally and that would be a balanced approach. However we are not all at the same starting point, not all with the same access to opportunities or influence; equity is the division of resources to enable each to reach the same potential outcome and means that when a little more is needed, that little more is given.
In embracing equity, we embrace the desire to see each individual given the resources, support and access to available resources in an amount that will provide them the opportunity to reach the same favourable outcome as all others. For me that would be to reach their potential, and that will be different for each of us.
Equity will not result in everyone arriving at the same point, there will be the human individuality of approach and engagement that will see people take their own route to their own preferred destination. But, the concept of equity, the division of available resources in a manner that promotes everyone being given the opportunity to reach, for example, their potential, is a wonderful one. If achieved, it would make for a fairer world. Seeking to support a fairness in outcomes-for-all demands we acknowledge that at the outset, some are more advantaged and they may receive less to permit others to equate to them in the final outcome.
On a personal level for me and THE DESIGN & SEWING STUDIO this is an opportunity to see how we can provide a little opportunity for someone who wants to learn what we know and share our skills with them, in a way that will make them as good as us. We would hope in showing what we know they may go on to exceed us, to better what we know with their own unique perspective and in time, they may take the time to freely share that with someone else.
