PART 1
WHY SPEAK OUT?
Why do we need more diversity and women’s and girl’s voices? Why should you speak out? It is essential that we understand the basics of why it matters, what common issues arise specifically for women and girls, and what the public playing field, so to speak, currently looks like.
Though not everyone identifies as male or female, it is safe to say that roughly half of the population are female, half male and it is therefore notable that despite this fairly even distribution of the sexes throughout the world, the participation in public life and in the corridors of power is significantly male-skewed. (And not just any male, as we will discuss. Race, class and other issues factor in.) This disparity is widespread, but is by no means consistent from country to country, nor has it been consistent from age to age. The disproportionate focus, influence and power afforded to one demographic and one sex is not inevitable or natural any more than it has been static from decade to decade. The opportunities afforded to me, and most of the women and girls reading this, are very different than they were 25 years ago, let alone 50 or 100 years ago. The interim has brought social, cultural and political change. The fact that level of inequality can change is vital to know, before we get down to some of the methods you might use to prepare to speak out, do it, and survive to do it again.