INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY 2018-CELEBRATE

A day to recognize women. International Women's Day. Equality. Respect. Dignity. Mothers. Women. Workers. Wives. Friends. Daughters. But there are places in the world where women are still treated as second class citizens. Underpaid. Overused. Abused.
Then look to home. Just over a 100 years since women were able to vote. Still some are experiencing negative aspects in their lives.  Is there still a glass ceiling? Women must take time to have the babies and often time off work too.
Advances in health care has saved lives but still women in parts of the world do not receive the same health care. It is simple- if we take care of the women- we take care of the men and boys and the girls. A healthy baby- male or female is needed in this world.
A working woman brings home income to the family. Sharing responsibilities with the men in her life.
So celebrating and reflecting what it means to have a day!

1975 was the first time the day was really celebrated. The Why Not was the mantra.

#internationalwomen'sday#women#mothers#workers#wives#reflectingtheroleofwomen#whynot1975#respect#goodhealthcare

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY IN CANADA 2016

Not sure if a lot will happen in my day today. As I reflect on what it means to be a woman in modern times,  things have changed since my youth. 1975 was the first Women's Day in my conscienceness. For example, working in health care more female doctors are present and in fields now unlike 40 years ago when I started in Social Work. More men are nurses and accepted for being nurses. Education is available to everyone. No more pulling girls out of school in Grade 3 like what happened to my mother-in-law in Italy in the 1930s to help clean the family house. What was her mother doing? Well maybe some countries still deny an education to a girl.  Even when I was dating my husband there were teenage marriages to older men. However in some groups and cultures it is still happening! Hum! Women in some countries still experience death in childbirth due to unsanitary conditions. Babies still die! Education and health are the areas to promote everywhere. Fight against sexual abuse and domestic violence! Improve the playing field for girls and boys! If we raise girls well and have caring women the world will be a better place. The women become wives and mothers and friends and community workers so all will be a lasting legacy. Mothers can raise amazing sons to become amazing men. They can work and live together with their spouses so they be amazing Fathers too. Supporting Women on this special day supports everyone. A good woman loves the men in her life. So men and boys love the girls and women in your lives. Help to make the world a better place for all of us!

SO WHY NOT!!!!

VETERANS WEEK CANADA 2013-FINDING LOCAL WAR MEMORIALS

Every town and city has a War Memorial in Canada. The names of the local men and women are engraved to honour their efforts. On trips for various reasons to locales near home, I always look for these monuments.

Here in Cambridge, Ontario in the town square there are several dedications to Canadians who served.

Honouring women who served is front and center......

On the insciption above the City of Galt honours the women who served. Cambridge includes the City of Galt as it is an almalgamated city now. In Cambridge, however, the various areas are still honoured. I bet some people did not know women served in the Navy!  So as we honour our veterans this week try to learn more about the service of people from your own area.

GENDER EQUALITY IN MODERN TIMES

Gender equality continues to be a struggle even in our modern times. Canada has come a long way over the last hundred years. However, generally men still earn more than women. Little girls are encouraged to pursue all dreams. Teaching and nursing were once main female professions but now have more men equalizing the acceptance as top careers. In my profession, Social Work was once a female domain with men in the top executive positions. Men taking parental leave to be with their new babies is a huge step in viewing the child care piece as important. Women still must carry babies and give birth! In some cultues, the boy is still the coveted sex to want! We must be careful as can be seen by the number of bachelor men in China now with a shortage of women! Girls and boys are different in some ways but similar in other ways. Raising respectful children to become respectful adults being able to live and work with each other is a dream. Many successful men had positive relationships with their mothers and grandmothers. I can think of one President with that background! Do girls and women need to work harder to get ahead? Probably! By recognizing the barriers to success and removing them so both men and women have equal opportunities based on skills, education and experience, we will continue to move forward. What does gender equality really mean anyway? Do you have some thoughts? Do you have some answers?

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY

A day to celebrate all the accomplishments
women have done. We have come a long way
baby and there is a further journey ahead of
us.
Modern men have learnt to appreciate the
women in their lives. Shared parenting has
become more of the norm. Women have been
breaking barriers in the workplace. Support must be given to those women in other countries without the freedoms we have here in Canada.
Raise your children to see the beauty in being human without gender discrimination.
Do you have a story to share about what the day means to you?

A WOMAN'S VOTE

Yesterday was the municipal election in Ontario. As a woman going to vote, it was time to remember the Suffragettes who fought for the vote in 1917- less than one hundred years ago in our Nation. Women have come a long way but there are still inequalities in our world. I have always encouraged my daughters to vote to honour those who helped us secure this franchise and to have a say in our government. Here's to men who honour their women and women who honour their men. How do you feel about voting? Do you make an effort to practice your right?