Hi There,🙋🏾‍♀️

March is here! Well, In my teenage years I used to be very much excited about this time as it is a period to have great fun, accept gifts, and experience all the fussy stuff. But as I became older, I have birthday blues every time it approaches.

And then the International Women's Day celebration changed all about it. How? I found the IWD activities interesting and started following. It helped me start the month right with positive thoughts and an excellent mind to enjoy the rest of the month, seeing how far we have reached towards Women’s emancipation.

Gender Stereotyping and Bias problems are rooted in our societal beliefs that create accepted biases about particular characteristics or traits and result in women and men being defined, without a doubt many liberals are in the wrong of this impassable obstacle. Having worked in the male-dominated Construction sector and transitioning to Tech, it is believed that men should be assertive (“leader”), while women should be warm and sympathetic (“need attendant”).

When considered leading, they then label you to be acting counter-stereotypically, you become less like-able with strong adverse reactions towards you. The expectations that women are to marry at a precise age range, be the caretaker of the home, and not do what pleases them because it is not ladylike makes it difficult to thrive. Let this be your boost “Don’t STOP Until YOU’RE Proud”. Most times we try to impress our friends, parents, or mentor and make them proud, but we have to remember to consider ourselves.

Together we can break gender stereotypes by allowing freedom to choose and challenge gender bias by being aware of our own unconscious biases. This Implicit Association Test from Harvard University on different topics can help identify the areas that need to be #BiasCorrect.

My birthday blues arise partially because of these stereotypes and biases, a feel of how quick time is running out, and the disappointment of not been able to live up to expectations. We need to get rid of those negative feelings of underestimating ourselves and how well we’ve done, and remind ourselves how brilliant we are doing, give ourselves credit, do what we enjoy, don’t wish for it–work for it, set a goal and when achieved we remind ourselves how proud we should be of ourselves and reward ourselves we deserve it.

Happy Birthday to me in advance. I’m celebrating myself and every woman in the world.

I #ChooseToChallenge Gender Stereotypes and Bias.🙋🏾‍♀️

Love and laughter,

Kelechi