During last week’s usual Lutadoras session, Fight for Peace member Nicole delivered a wonderful workshop in recognition of International Women’s Day. 

The session was based on the theme of female empowerment, with Nicole encouraging the group to share positive affirmations and design outfits that would empower them. It wasn’t long before a discussion took place reflecting on how women are perceived, and some of the girls’ hopes for the future of female empowerment.

“If we try and encourage each other and bring eachother up positively, I think we can create a better community for women,” explained Ocean. 

A lot of the Lutadoras agreed, with Aziza following up by saying, “we don’t realise it, but we are all so similar. We need females to realise it mainly.”

The presence of competition among women was a theme that emerged from the group, and workshop leader Nicole gave her perspective on why this community of strength and solidarity between women is so important to her.

 “I wanted to speak about colour. I feel like when we focus on just one thing [gender], colour and race goes out the window,” she explained.

“When someone does come up and say they are having an issue with race, or someone out of their race is being racist or taking advantage of them, us women should be able to come together and forget about our differences, because we have one task to do.”

“I think that’s why it’s important for us to uplift each other, focus on the more important stuff and also find ways to tackle difficulties together instead of apart,” Nicole continued.

This was a very interesting perspective, highlighting the fact that every woman’s experience is different based on their background, and that some women may experience more discrimination as a result of these intersectional factors. 

This point further underlines the importance of solidarity between all women – not just on the well recognised International Women’s Day.

Mentoring Coordinator Maria echoes this, sharing the belief that “women can be quite rough to one another, and it shouldn’t just be on international days like this that we embrace that.”

“We already have a lot of people telling us we are inferior as women, so we should be embracing each other all the time… Sisterhood and lovehood comes from within.”

It was clear from the discussion that the group had identified the importance of all women coming together to lift one another up. So what are their hopes for the future of female empowerment in the world?

“I want women to know that it’s okay to be alone…to build an empire without a man… It’s okay to have your own stuff together and sorted before you allow anyone into your own space,” Nicole expressed.

“I think a lot of women are now realising that,” she continued.

It was refreshing to hear that despite many members of the group feeling as though women could be more connected, they have the drive and power to make the positive change to make it happen as the new generation of women.

Lutadoras is our all-female personal development group where women and girls and those who identify as non-binary come together to share views, experiences and opinions in an open and non-judgemental space.