International Women’s Day
We were invited to deliver a presentation in honour of International Women’s Day, for WOW the Women of WorleyParsons in Edmonton (most of whom are engineers). This presentation was supported and well attended by their male colleagues as well. Seeing all the female engineers made me reflect on how far women have come in Canada and America since the sixties and seventies.
How far we’ve come
Terry and I watched a fascinating 3 part documentary on PBS called Makers: Women Who Make America which illuminated the history of the women’s movement.
It features luminaries like Gloria Steinem, Marlo Thomas and Germaine Greer who paved the way for others like myself to become empowered. (Terry and I loved this 3hr documentary all of which is available free for online viewing at PBS. Terry was surprised by how recent some of the milestones were such as the 1972 footage of the first woman in the Boston Marathon. A Canadian version would be nice.)
Not so long ago
So many advancements and rights we take for granted today! We sometimes forget what fairly recent struggles and changes have enabled today’s young women to have exciting careers in IT, sciences and technologies. Women can choose careers based on their passions and abilities and are not limited by their gender.
Working together
In the documentary I found it refreshing how many men also joined forces and supported the women’s movement to create a future where both men and women are equal. Men have wives, daughters and mothers and making the world a better place to live and work benefits everyone.
Building connection
The topic we presented for the Women of WorleyParsons was “Networking by Design – Connecting through Conversation”. It was an afternoon of learning, connecting and sharing. Networking is vital for everyone and especially for women because it builds connections and opportunities.
Walls and ceilings come down
It is through dialog that we come to know and understand one another as human beings. Men and women are the same the world over; we all have hopes, dreams and aspirations. It is through understanding, empathy and conversation that the walls and ceilings come down and equal opportunities are created.