What’s this all about?

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Women Speak Out is a movement to encourage women to raise their voices in a supportive environment, to speak about women’s issues in an empowering way and add to the growing strength of equality worldwide.

This idea was sparked in the #TeamGirlPowa group by @esaia.mystic. I volunteered to write the first post, but this is intended to be a collective movement, and the mothering of #WomenSpeakOut is a collaborative effort.

Thank you @jokossita for doing a Spanish translation of this post!

photo: pixabay.com

Why create a #WomenSpeakOut tag for Steemit? Is this the same as “Me Too?”

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No, this isn’t the same as the Me Too movement. Though WomenSpeakOut posts may include Me Too stories and calling out sexism, it’s broader than that.

#WomenSpeakOut is intended to encourage visibility of topics that are important to women, including bringing exposure to campaigns for change, giving credit to men who are supporting feminism, and sharing stories that uplift female empowerment as a whole.

My post below is about how women in the entertainment industry are empowering feminism, but first let’s address the next question:

Who can participate in #WomenSpeakOut?

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Anyone who identifies as a woman is welcome to post on the tag. This tag is LGBT+ friendly! Men who are allies, your support is very much appreciated!

Men who feel you might be silenced in this conversation, please remember you’re not. You can participate in the comments (respectfully), and your encouragement is HUGE in helping to heal an ancient wound. Thank you!

Note: I have learned the most by listening first, then engaging in meaningful conversation. Thank you to everyone who does the same!

In the end, the goal of every equality movement is to give each individual the freedom to be who they are, unafraid, without oppression or fear. As we respect each other and create a world where equality is held sacred, that dream of freedom turns into a reality.

photo: pexels.com

#WomenSpeakOut GUIDELINES:

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1) PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL. If you choose to interact, please do so with kindness and intelligence. Thank you!

2) If your post has triggers in it (abuse of any kind, violence, etc.) please put a trigger warning at the top as a courtesy. Thank you!

3) Use the tag WomenSpeakOut. (Tagging "feminism" is also encouraged.)

4) Support others! This is how the conversation continues and we grow as a tribe of allies. Please check the #WomenSpeakOut tag and consider upvoting and commenting supportively on posts that speak to you. Follows and resteems are always appreciated as well!

Optional: Tag a friend whose voice you want to encourage, and who would have something to contribute to this conversation. (You don’t have to be tagged to participate. If you have something valuable to say, join in!)

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Okay. On to my contribution to the conversation… The first post! :)

How Women in the Entertainment Industry are Empowering Feminism as a Whole

by Katrina Ariel

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ONE OF THE MOST PUBLICIZED CAMPAIGNS for women’s equality is the one taking place in the film and entertainment industry, where stars are using their public platforms to amplify a planet-wide conversation. I lead with this video of Oprah’s Golden Globe speech, annotated by the Washington Post, because she embodies female empowerment and has done so much to lift others up.

Women in the entertainment industry have been some of the loudest voices in the Me Too movement, and have been pushing for equal pay in an industry where male actors are often paid obscenely more than females, such as this Huffington Post story of a male lead making 1000 times more than his female co-star.

The recently-launched Time’s Up website is a call to action. They say, “TIME’S UP is a unified call for change from women in entertainment for women everywhere. From movie sets to farm fields to boardrooms alike, we envision nationwide leadership that reflects the world in which we live.” This site has resources such as Where to Get Help and Know Your Rights.

At the Golden Globes last week, many female celebrities wore black in support of the #TimesUp campaign, and many who won awards or gave interviews used their mic time to spread the word. Writer, producer, and actor Lena Waithe nailed the message in an ABC News interview when she said:

“Time’s up on sexual harassment, time’s up on homophobia, time’s up on transphobia, time’s up on racism… times up on anybody having an unsafe work environment while pursuing their dream.” — Lena Waithe

By choosing to fight inequality in public and behind closed doors, women in the entertainment industry are leading by example, adding to the momentum of change worldwide.

photo: Tirachard Kumtanom, pexel.com

Creating Positive Change by Adding to the Conversation

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SUPPORTING EACH OTHER is how we create lasting change. Listening, caring, and being respectful goes a long way.

I have compassion for everyone who identifies with the Me Too movement (because, me too), but I have to avoid things that trigger me. For my own mental-health, I need to focus on the positive.

I am inspired by both celebrities and everyday people making it their mission to usher in equality. I think that each of us has a role to play, including men. There’s been a lot in the news lately about men who have abused their power, but some men are also stepping up to support!

Bono, the lead singer in U2, wrote an excellent piece for the January 15, 2018 issue of TIME Magazine: Why It’s Time for Men to Step Up for Women Too. In it he says, “Men can’t step back and leave it to women alone to clean up the mess we’ve made and are still making. Misogyny, violence and poverty are problems we can’t solve at half-strength, which is the way we’ve been operating for a few millennia now.”

Bono goes on to describe a perspective I think we all need to adopt, saying that the key lesson is this: “don’t look down on me, but don’t look up to me, either. Look across to me. I’m here. It just may be that in these times, the most important thing for men and women to do is to look across to each other—and then start moving, together, in the same direction.”

As we continue this conversation on Steemit, a platform that does a lot to give people of all races and genders an even playing field, I hope we can do as Bono suggests and look across to one another, moving forward in a positive direction, together.

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That’s it for my post. I’d like to nominate @esaia.mystic to do a post and make her voice heard in #WomenSpeakOut.

Do you feel inspired to write a #WomenSpeakOut post?

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This tag is all about empowering women's voices with (overall) positive stories. If you have something to add to the conversation, please do! (Refer to guidelines above in case you missed that part.)

Here are some article ideas we came up with in #TeamGirlPowa, in case you want a writing prompt:

• How feminism affects women's success.
• Personal stories about overcoming struggles as a woman.
• Personal stories about embracing feminism.
• Personal stories about men who empowered you.
• Creative ways to express female empowerment.

Huge gratitude to #TeamGirlPowa for coming up with this idea! I’ve felt right at home in the group chats, and am happy to be part of such a supportive collective! Props also to #SteemitBloggers and #TheAlliance, who have welcomed me like family. The people of Steemit continue to surprise me, topping the awesome-charts daily!

If you’ve read this far, you’re amazing. Thank you for caring. Keep being you!

Peace, y’all! @katrina-ariel