Alright – so, today is international women’s day. As a woman, a black woman and an autism mom, I’ve
had both highs and lows in my advocacy journey. Someone once asked me “what drives your advocacy”.
Without even thinking about it, I said: “a man underestimating me or my child gives me energy that I can’t even explain”. I am not really sure why that is. I know that everything that I have ever advocated for whether I have been successful or not came from a man pissing me off.
One of my favorite authors is Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. Below is a speech she gave at the Chatham House in London, UK. There she said:
- In our world, a man is confident but a woman is arrogant.
- A man is uncompromising but a woman is a ballbreaker.
- A man is commanding but a woman is demanding
- A man is forceful but a woman is pushy
- A man is assertive but a woman is aggressive
- A man is strategic but a woman is manipulative
- A man is a leader but a woman is controlling
- A man is authoritative but a woman is annoying
She continues to say the characteristics of the behavior is the same the only thing different is the gender of the person.
A man who shows righteous anger does not define him, but a woman’s anger defines her.
I urge everyone to watch this video, it motivates me.
My advice today is if you are a man, a father, a husband, a brother – please don’t just write laws to make us equal but change your minds to see us as equal.
As usual, the above words do not represent any candidate, agency or committee.
Idil – Somali Autism Mom