As A Woman

As a woman…

As a woman...sometimes change is slow, sometimes it never happens. Sometimes we think progress is being made at the same time we realize some things are still the same.

I feel so fortunate to be a part a community of strong women. As a woman, I see other amazing women doing simply incredible things. They encourage, inspire, and support me. They are entrepreneurs, leaders, teachers, clinicians, and friends.

I often get messages from younger women asking about being a woman in medicine, repeating “advice” they heard, or doubting if they really can do this thing they are working towards.

So I would like to say this:

As a woman, I believe that striving for goals and dreams are worthwhile.

As a woman, I have put up with sexist remarks, been called “sweetie” and “babe” in inappropriate situations, had my abilities doubted, and have been given “advice” which undermines my abilities too often to count.

As a woman, there was a time when I’ve listened to this “advice” and had it play into my own fears. I have doubted my own abilities when others did. I believed the naysayers. I believed in these limitations. But no more.

As a woman, I believe we should understand our bodies. We should be empowered with education, and fertility should no longer be something that we have no idea about until it is too late. The decision to have children is yours, but you should be given the knowledge to make the best choice for you and your family planning goals.

As a woman, I believe that supporting and encouraging the next generation is important. The balance between life, work, family is never attainable if you don’t follow your heart and love what you do. I believe that community should be prioritized over competition.

As a woman, I believe that we should not compare ourselves to each other, but find inspiration. We should support and encourage our unique dreams. We should stand together.

Welcome to this #asawoman community - all are welcome, and we are building something great.