What International Women’s Day means to us
Some reflections on the hype around International Women’s Day 2023
It’s been so interesting for us to watch the hype around Women’s Day unfold this year: loud protestations of either triumphalism, innocence or passivity circulated widely, a lot of noise was made…. And then today we seem to go back to normal.
We’ve been struck by the amount of friends – especially on LinkedIn – that have received or seen very negative commentary on IWD: a latent and not-so-passive disdain for the day and some pretty caveman-like attitudes on show…
It’s not really good enough!
Whether you look at the creative industries we love so much and the gender pay gap there, or the more general female talent drain, or the massive imbalance between male and female investors, or the disparity in internet usage across genders… the list of skewed equality goes on and on, seems to know no borders or boundaries, and lingers malevolently in the background.
So, it’s fine to have a Women’s Day, we suppose, for the purposes of shining a light on the issues mentioned above - but we live for the day when such a thing is not needed because the obvious disparities no longer exist!
As for us at Westerlands?
Well, we could tell you about how proud we are to be a female-led team: about our matriarch Pam, or Antonia who steers us all, or Emma our resident artist, or Jo our Equestrian Manager, or Cheryl who looks after our accommodation or Lottie who helps look after our animals…
We could.
Or, we could tell you about the entire ethos of the place being built around love and respect for nature (which of course takes the female form), or how we actively work with ethical brands which share this ethos such as healthy drinks brand Unrooted or Ostara (an English vermouth which is literally named for the goddess of nature and Spring)…
We could.
Or we could simply encourage you to come and visit.
To enjoy nature.
To learn from her.
To take her in in all her glory and use nature to recharge your batteries, think, slow down, and reinvigorate.
Because for us, that primeval, life-giving power that nature has, the nurture she gives us and the benefits we derive from her…. All add up to the wonder and awe we hold for nature and why – whilst we think International Women’s Day is on balance a good thing – we yearn for nature more broadly, entirely live for the restorative energy she gives us, and today quietly admire, with awe, some of the amazing women we know who are doing our thing and steadily moving forward.
We hope you had a good International Women’s Day!