How do you put feminism into action at Womankind?
In my role as the Programmes and Grants Officer, I support the full grant making cycle from planning to evaluation, as well as the administrative behind the scenes of the Programmes and Learning team. In my role, I aim to embody feminism through centring and amplifying diverse voices and experiences. I believe in being lived experience led and creating safe and open spaces for people to share, learn, grow and progress. I believe in resting and sharing the work with each other. It’s about togetherness. It’s about offering and receive support and knowing it’s OK to do both.
Tell us about your feminist journey?
Looking back, I realise that my feminist journey began at quite a young age, long before the label and understanding of the movement came to me. From as young as I can remember, I questioned and challenged mostly cultural norms often ending conversations with a quiet mutter of ‘If I was in charge girls would not need to do…’. As I went through life in different settings, cities and through different experiences, I soon began to identify as a feminist and question societal norms. Equity underpins a lot of what I do because I believe we all have a right to freedom, fairness and equal chances.
The movement is ever growing and expanding so I don’t think my journey is complete. I often think about how I might not reach a level of completion, and I have accepted this and believe it summarises what it means to be a feminist.
A feminist hero of yours?
My feminist heroes are all women who continue to show up despite the exhaustion and difficult times we have and continue to live in. However, a specific example I do have is a woman called Umm Umarah or Nusaybah bint Ka’ab who is a religious figure. She not only fearlessly fought in battles, but she also advocated for women’s rights in a religious context leading to the revelation of Quranic verses relating to spiritual equality.
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