#challengeaccepted

Well, I’ve been #challenged.

My challenger is such a lovely person (yes you Deb McVeety), that I decided to accept – but I needed to do a little research before moving forward. With my luck, participation required make up and pants with buttons. No, thank you.

What I learned is that it’s very unclear as to how this started and it what it really means.

Some think it started with a tweet from a female journalist in Turkey – justifiably horrified by the number of women murdered in her country. Others believe a Brazilian journalist inspired it after posting her support of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s public lesson on decency.

As each day passes though, its origin and meaning become more and more ambiguous. Now, with celebrities jumping on board, critics are saying the campaign now has “no substance”.  Ouch. I’ll leave that to you to decide.

Some have posted about female empowerment and sisterly love. Others have used the hashtag to highlight racial injustice.  And some – well, they just saw it as an excuse to post a hot picture of themselves (don’t shoot the messenger).

I needed to decide how I could offer something meaningful. And, if I was to write about supporting women, I needed to honour the most important woman in my life.  My daughter.
So here it is.

While I am painfully aware that I cannot control what my girl will face as a woman, I do know that I can control how she is raised;
– To love herself and her family.
– To lead with kindness.
– To believe and value people, not posts.
– To treat everyone equally – regardless of race, religion or sexuality.
– To surround herself with people who treat her with respect.
– To trust her instincts and remove herself from relationships, places and situations that don’t feel right.
– To never feel guilty for putting her needs first.
– To know that she is unconditionally loved, appreciated and protected.

So here is my black and white photo with my promise to raise a kind, smart and loving human.  You’re welcome future.

Unfortunately, while I can now say #challengeaccepted, my new challenge will be dodging my pre-teen now that I’ve posted her picture without permission. 

Wish me luck.
#yesIkissheronthelips #everyday #sheisloved