What Does Female Empowerment Mean To You?
Female empowerment should not only be for women of the western side of the world, we cannot expect this patriarchal society to empower us if we do not empower one another, and women today owe a debt of gratitude to those women who cleared a path for this generation.
These were some of the messages from the island’s young women who won the Bermuda Police Service’s International Women’s Day essay competition, with eight female students honoured for their excellent essays addressing the topic of ‘What does female empowerment mean to you?”
“Female empowerment should not only be a thing for the women of the western side of the world, but it should be a thing that encourages all women to fight for their rights,” said Aaliyah Lee from The Berkeley Institute.
“Female empowerment is essential to our society today,” wrote Alexis Lodge from BHS, saying it is aimed to “break the glass ceiling, improve economic status, education, and the overall well being of women.”
Amirh Wade from The Berkeley Institute said, “Female empowerment is women gaining their power in what many people refer to as a ‘man’s world,” adding that it is “not only empowering yourself but the women around you.”
“We simply cannot expect this patriarchal society to empower us if we do not empower one another,” wrote Emilia Stowe from The Berkeley Institute. “So for our first step, we must all lock hands with females island and worldwide in a show of solidarity and embrace each other for the amazing individuals that we are.”
“I wasn’t born in an era when gender inequality created constraints that made it impossible for women to be who they wanted to be. Women today owe a debt of gratitude to those women who cleared a path for this generation,” wrote 15-year-old McKenzie-Kohl Tuckett from Warwick Academy.
“I think about the world one hundred years ago and I see how far we’ve come,” wrote Katarina Rance from BHS. “One hundred years ago, if I even thought about becoming anything other than a housewife, I would be mocked.”
“Power is one of the things that all women have. We are fighting to make this world a better Place. Power is the capacity or ability to direct or influence the behavior of others or the course of events,” said Kimora Waddell-Smith from Clearwater Middle School.
“Female empowerment is women who are strong, and who inspire others – my mom, teacher, and Oprah,” said Marley Brown from Bermuda Institute, adding that “Women continue to prove that balance is better.”
The winning essays are below:
- Aaliyah Lee – The Berkeley Institute [PDF here]
- Amirh Wade – The Berkeley Institute [PDF here]
- Emilia Stowe – The Berkeley Institute [PDF here]
- Alexis Lodge – Bermuda High School [PDF here]
- McKenzie-Kohl Tuckett – Warwick Academy [PDF here]
- Katarina Rance – Bermuda High School [PDF here]
- Kimora Waddell-Smith – Clearwater Middle School [PDF here]
- Marley Brown – Bermuda Institute [PDF here]
