International Women's Day 2021
Happy International Women's Day 2021!
To celebrate, we asked some of our current students who inspires them the most and why.
Nurses and Midwifes
Hi, I'm Natalie, a third year Social Work student at the University of Huddersfield.
Women that inspire me, espeically this year with the current circumstances, are nurses and midwifes, especially my sister. She is an Intensive Care Unit Nurse. Throughout the pandemic, she has understandably been stressed due to lack of resources, staff and the general poor conditions relating to COVID-19. But despite this, her spirits are always high and she always inspires me to strive for my goals. She, along with all essential workers, are doing an amazing job and are a credit to us all! Thank you all!
Jane Fonda
Hi everyone, my name’s Grace and I am a second year Sociology student at the University of Huddersfield.
I am the kind of Instagram user to always post about feminist movements or issues, particularly on International Women’s Day. Although we have achieved so much, we still have a long way to go before we can say equality is true. Many women have inspired me throughout my life to make me stand there and tell someone ‘I am a feminist’, such as old teachers, leaders of the feminist movements, famous female sociologists like Betty Friedan and, celebrities who show their reality not just their edits. However, Jane Fonda has always been one of the few women I always refer back to. In 2004, she helped found the Women’s Media Center and sits on the board of V-Day: Until the Violence Stops, a global effort to stop violence against women. She states how it took her 30 years to stand strong and say she was a feminist as she saw other issues as important. As a prominent opponent to the Vietnam war and civil rights activist, it was not until much later she identified as a feminist and slowly realised the sexism she has internalised. Fonda is renown for being vocal, head strong and powerful for her views, something not all women can be. She stands tall despite barriers she faced and acts as the voice for those who do not have the ability to use theirs yet. From making exercise videos designed for women to building a Reproductive Centre to help prevent teen pregnancy, Jane Fonda continues to hold her view on female equality strong. Fonda’s mugshot from the 1970s inspired women for years, it shows how a woman can act back against the expectations of long skirts and perfect makeup and instead show the “bad girl” inside of them and diversity of how a woman can look, and still be a woman.
My Mum
Hi everyone, I’m Nathan. I’m now in my final year of studying Psychology at the University of Huddersfield.
A woman that inspires me every day would be my Mum. She immigrated from India in her 20’s when she married my Dad and raise my brother and I. It was only later in my life when I asked her about her home life and upbringing that I was fascinated about all of the things she did as well as the hardships she faced with learning a new language, integrating into a completely different society, and taking up college courses whilst having a full-time job.
During her time in India, she completed a Master’s degree in Hindi and Bengali Literature. Unfortunately, she didn’t have the time and network to continue writing when she moved to the UK – but more recently in the last year or so she has re-kindled her passion with writing poetry and short stories which she now publicly posts on her site and Facebook. She inspires me to work hard and follow through with my hobbies and passions.
Florence Given
Hi, my name is Beth. I'm a first year at the University of Huddersfield, studying Digital and Social Media Marketing.
The woman that inspires me the most is Florence Given, the author of my favourite book 'Women don't owe you pretty'. Florence Given is a writer, illustrator, influencer and a social activist for feminism. Her book inspires me daily and has taught me a lot about self-love, acceptance and identity-building while challenging outdated patriarchal narratives.
Who's inspired you this International Women's Day?
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