How Women Can Break Free From Toxic Competition

How Women Can Break Free From Toxic Competition

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Celebrate other women instead of having a toxic competition with them.

There is a long history of divide among women and the patriarchy plays a huge role in it. There are many factors that contributed to this consciousness. The competition between women starts with the idea that there is only one seat available and only one can get it.

Actress, Contance Wu, says in an interview, “If you’re at a board meeting and there’s only one seat for a woman and all the other seats are for men, it’s not about being a woman”. She continues, “if you think there’s only one seat then it’s going to be competitive”. The problem is about the scarcity for roles that women can participate in and not their gender. As a result, women are implicitly or explicitly influenced to pull each other down to take that sole position.  

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That’s why feminist movements all over the world are actively making ways to break free from this system. The purpose is to bring balance and equal access in male-dominated spaces whether in politics, workplaces, media, business world and more. There are many ways to support your fellow female, and there is no small act that one can do if it’s for the good of others. So here are some ways you can show support to other women and break free from this toxic idea of competition.

Bring More Women In

The best way for women to take up the spaces that are rightfully theirs is when other women will bring them in. Consider the women running for government positions and hire women in different job positions especially those that are stereotypically for men.

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Bring women in all spaces because they are capable individuals who are strong, talented, and educated. Women should be here for all reasons and not be limited to their gender. Build a community instead of exclusion to your own kind.

Stand Up For Them

Instead of seeing your fellow women as competition, look at them as people who have an unheard story that needs to be told. Use your chosen platforms to speak for human rights and abuses that concern women. While we should do that for everybody, doing it for your fellow females means you are standing up for yourself as well.

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Sign petitions for movements that fight for women’s rights and gender equality or fund if you can. There are many organizations that you can also actively participate in the Philippines.

Appreciate And Celebrate Each Other

There shouldn’t be a competition on how we look like or what we achieved when we are all unique in our own way. We should inspire people to become better by being encouraging in our speech and always seeing the potential in each one of us.

Besides, accomplishment and beauty varies to each person. What we value is probably not going to be the same for another person.

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When we realize that it’s not our fellow women that is our enemy, we see that an individual success is also a collective success for all women because it creates space for more recognition and more merit.

Competition is argued by many scholars as vital to human survival, but it should bring out the best and not the worst in someone. It should spur people to be better and bring everyone along with them, and not to pull someone down.

Related:

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GRLPWR Rules Women’s Month Through This Must-Watch Live Event

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