International Women's Day for the Abused Woman
International Women’s Day, observed since the early 1900s, is celebrated around the world on March 8. On this day we honor the cultural, economic, and political achievements of women as well as advocate for equal rights and opportunities for women.
It is important for us to remember that each and every one of us has value and makes important contributions, including homemakers.
Unfortunately, our culture still celebrates the idea of wives and mothers as entirely self-sacrificing individuals who “get” to live through their husbands and children. In this paradigm, a woman’s identity disappears, and she suppresses her needs and desires. If she has hobbies or a life outside the home, she may be considered selfish rather than admirable for practicing excellent self-care.
Fortunately, those outdated and misplaced ideas are beginning to change.
Men give themselves permission all the time to work late out of ambition, to play tennis or golf, and have drinks after work with their friends. Nobody judges them or even thinks twice about this behavior, including their wives. More women than ever work outside the home in addition to raising their children and running their households without receiving much help from their spouses. But there is an implicit understanding that women have the main responsibility for children and home. If a husband “helps,” he receives praise for his “generosity.” Abused women usually get little or no help at all, and are subjected to unreasonable demands and incessant criticism. No wonder they become very worn down by all of the pressure and responsibility that they shoulder without help.
Of course, a double standard is not acceptable. Men and women should be equal partners, while most men prefer to keep things the way that they are. Why wouldn’t they? If we want this to change, it is up to us. Women will have to insist on equality in the home as well as in the boardroom if we are going to get it.
There are good men out there that will treat you well and as an equal partner. Accept that the partner that you have is unable and unwilling to change. Let go of what is not working in your life, which includes a relationship with him. It doesn’t work for you or make you happy and it never will.
So stand up for yourself today and be the change you need to see in your life. You are the captain of your ship. It is time to leave port.
Take advantage of the free 11 Step Prep Guide and other articles and resources, as well as the recommended reading section. Information dedicated to your specific needs as an abused woman is available there to help support you through this difficult time.
You deserve to be happy and appreciated for your good qualities and the many contributions that you make to those around you. You are not alone. Good people want to help you to have a better life, so reach out to them.
This is a day to honor the many meaningful contributions that women have made. It is important to recognize that women are capable of great achievements, ingenuity, courage, strength of character, important intellectual discoveries, creativity, generosity, and selflessness. I have included a list of some of my favorite women of all time. Make your own list and wear purple to commemorate International Women’s Day, a color that symbolizes justice and dignity.
Inspiring Women: A List of My Favorite Thought Leaders, Activists, and Pioneers
Harriet Beecher Stowe, novelist and campaigner against slavery
Susan B. Anthony, campaigned for women’s and workers’ rights and against slavery
Harriet Tubman, escaped slave and early civil rights activist
Rosa Parks, civil rights activist whose refusal to give up her bus seat to a white man and arrest led to significant civil rights legislation
Helen Keller, who became deaf and blind at a very young age, campaigned on behalf of deaf and blind people
Amelia Earhart, American aviation pioneer, first woman to have flown across the Atlantic ocean
Sally Ride, physicist and astronaut who became the first American woman in space
Florence Nightingale, British nurse and statistician who helped improve nursing and hospital standards to dramatically cut death rates
Marie Curie, Polish physicist and chemist, famous for her work on radioactivity, and the first woman to win Nobel Prize in Physics and Chemistry
Eleanor Roosevelt, first lady and campaigner for human rights
Margaret Thatcher, British Prime Minister whose policies helped reverse Great Britain’s economic decline
Audrey Hepburn, voted greatest female screen legend of all time, humanitarian who worked for UNICEF
Elizabeth Taylor, famous actress who co-founded an AIDS research charity and worked to bring awareness to the AIDS epidemic.
Oprah Winfrey, actress and former talk show host whose focus is on important social issues, and who owns an influential magazine, book club, and television channel
Edith Abbott, contributor to the draft of the US Social Security Act of 1935, one of the first unified systems of social welfare in this country
Billie Holiday, considered the greatest jazz singer of all time
Edith Wharton, famous novelist and short story writer, first woman to win the Pulitzer Prize for literature
Jane Austen, famous English novelists whose protagonists were strong women
Emily Dickinson, American poet, known for short and eloquently written poems on death and immortality
Caroline Shoemaker, astronomer, who discovered 32 comets, more than anyone else that is still living, and has also discovered 800 asteroids
Billie Jean King, tennis player who advocated for equality between men and women.
Jane Goodall, environmentalist fascinated with chimpanzees
Maya Angelou, African American poet and writer whose body of work focuses on the subjects of love, painful loss, racism, and discrimination
Malala Yousafzai, Pakistani education activist shot in the head by the Taliban as a schoolgirl when she defended the right of girls to be educated
Louise Hay, motivational author and publisher of life-changing books, who led support groups for people living with HIV and AIDS
Mother Teresa, Albanian-Indian Roman Catholic nun who dedicated her life to the poor
You are not alone. You are strong. You are brave. And you deserve to be celebrated, on this day and every day.
Breaking Bonds is dedicated to your specific needs as an abused woman, and we offer free holistic support as well as practical guidance to help you through this difficult time. Download the free 11 STEP PREP Guide here to get started, and check out our complete survival guide Breaking Bonds: How to Divorce an Abuser and Heal, now available in paperback and digital editions. We are with you.
Rosemary Lombardy is a financial advisor, Reiki Master, and the founder of Breaking Bonds, a free resource for abused women. Her new book, Breaking Bonds: How to Divorce an Abuser and Heal - A Survival Guide, is available now for purchase.
For more information on the history of IWD as well as events, go to the website https://www.internationalwomensday.com