It is Woman’s History month and this year the theme is #ChooseToChallenge. Throughout history, women have challenged all types of stigma around what we can and cannot do; opening the flood gates for the next generation of women to accomplish a million possibilities. Women have stepped out of the shadow of the man and continue to shine brightly all over the world.
Need some inspiration for how we can celebrate Women’s History Month? Look through our list or click here: https://yourdream.liveyourdream.org/2021/03/15-ways-to-celebrate-womens-history-month/
Our list:
*Follow a recognised feminist online to keep up on current content
*Get familiar with current women’s issues i.e. the pink tax
*Watch films and TV shows directed and produced by women
*Donate to charities that aid women causes
*Amplify the women in your life – encourage them to achieve their best!
During the 1900’s the art world was booming. You would have heard of Pablo Picasso and Salvador Dali as even then they were household names – famous for creating outlandish works using their emotions to communicate. During this time women still could not: vote, smoke in public, get divorced, join the military or even wear trousers, let alone have an art career. Meanwhile though, Frida Kahlo was creating artwork after artwork as a result of an unfortunate tram accident, leaving her bedbound. This tragedy left Kahlo with a deep sense of agony and Kahlo needed to tell her story. Through practice and determination Kahlo created many self-portraits expressing her pain; exploring themes of loss, death and selfhood. These themes were already explored by male artists but never before had a woman dissected the emotion and stigma around expressing one’s self.
“Feet, what do I want them for if I have wings to fly?’ – Frida Kahlo
Before Kahlo, women artists were seen as hysterical and condemned insane and men artists as ‘melancholy’. This all slowly unravelled when Kahlo defied gender stereotypes by proudly wearing her facial hair, smoking in public, wearing a suit for a family portrait and having infamous affairs with men and women. Proving that terms should not be thought of as gendered and challenging the idea of what it means to be a woman. Kahlo was unapologetically herself, proving to be a role model of rebelliousness and confidence.
Kahlo, although bedbound, did not let her illness stop her from being herself. Today Kahlo is up there with the greats, being recognised for dismissing societies standards of what women should and should not be, being the face of trauma support and for discussing the complex aspects of female identity. Kahlo liberated women to challenge what they felt they could do; permitting freedom for women many years to come.
If you want to find out more about the gender defying, feminist icon Frida Kahlo click here – https://www.firstpost.com/living/frida-kahlo-femininity-and-feminism-why-the-painter-is-an-icon-for-so-many-women-3782365.html
Our mission is to empower 1000 women to ‘climb their mountain’ so that they break down their barriers and reclaim their power. Join us. For more details about how we can help you to ‘climb your mountain’ – check out our free events here.