FOR MOST of us, especially those belonging to my era, growing up wasn’t easy. Our parents were strictly regimented; their orders and instructions rigid, even carved on stone, so to speak; obedience was demanded; and reasoning or debating with them was unacceptable. Tell me about it!
I grew up in such a home. My father was a lawyer, a strict disciplinarian who made my life quite “hellish” growing up because of all the “Dos” and “Don’ts” that were imposed upon me.
That’s why independence and “liberation” were my goals at an early age! I wanted to be free from my father’s clutches the moment I leave home.
On the positive side, however, since my father was a lawyer, and at a tender age, I was exposed and trained – by him, no less – in his newspaper business, in his law office, and eventually, in the radio station he managed, I felt slightly empowered to be trusted with adult responsibilities even with its accompanying set of limitations.
Moreover, I felt, to a certain degree, financially empowered because I received my own pay at a young age. I was fifteen when I first started to get my own small allowance for the work that I did for the paper. You see, receiving payment for productive work is empowering.
Of course, this sense of empowerment begins in my head. It’s a contradiction of sorts for me; a paradox. I felt choked by the lack of freedom at home and yet I felt slightly empowered to be trusted with adult responsibilities that fetched me my little allowance regularly.
This sense of empowerment emboldened me to test and question authority – that of my parents, teachers, and instructors, find my own corner to express myself, until I was able to gradually own it – I couldn’t wait to leave home, and start living it out.
It was not an easy path. I was still under my father’s roof and authority, so no amount of empowerment was helpful to give me a voice at home.
But eventually, when we start our own professional lives, our horizons will expand. We get to meet other women who think like us and then we either grudgingly or easily decide to embrace the full notion of empowerment.
On women and social media, I must say responsible social media use is empowering. Social media can be used as a platform for our advocacy. For instance, I am running as an independent city councilor of General Santos City. Since I don’t have the machinery and the funds, I am using social media, my radio talk show which is also uploaded via FB live – social media; and my newspaper column with an online edition – which again is social media, to get across my message.
I would say social media is a great equalizer. Of course, candidates with abundant resources can maximize the use of all social media platforms. But just the same, with few or huge resources, any individual with a purpose can optimize if not exploit social media to her advantage.
Moreover, with social media, you can create your own brand and when utilized properly, can create your own following. That’s the beauty of social media. We can educate, inform, and correct if needed.
My journey to gender and women empowerment was strengthened when I joined and became a trainer for Gender and Development or GAD. I also attended several trainings and sessions on gender advocacy, gender mainstreaming, women laws, and the like.
More importantly, I try to always keep a woman perspective when I assess, observe, speak, discuss, and decide on things because women empowerment is a decision and a life philosophy. It is also a journey. You will meet criticisms along the way, but it’s up to you to continue or not the path you have chosen.
It is best that you join a group of same-minded individuals for solidarity. It is also good that you keep on learning by reading or joining trainings on gender advocacy and gender-based laws. It provides a sense of balance so you will understand where men are coming from although in a patriarchal society and where leadership positions are mostly held by men, we can say that a man’s lens is almost always used. True, there are men that use the gender perspective, but they are the exception rather than the rule.
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Writer can be reached at belindabelsales@gmail.com. Twitter @ShilohRuthie./PN
