International Women's Day: Celebrating strong women — The Secret Life of a Bikini Competitor

It’s International Women’s Day today.

Quite frankly, it is disgraceful and ridiculous that we need to have a specific day reserved to campaign for the rights of over 50% of the world’s population. To be paid the same. To be able to walk down the street at night without fear. To have control over our own damn bodies. To just be seen as equal.

However, while I obviously believe women should be celebrated everyday, I want to use this an opportunity to celebrate just how incredible and strong women really are, in my own personal way.

This is for all the amazing women in my life!

Realising our potential

Something pretty cool happened when I started weightlifting about five years ago. When I started investing time in myself and learning to appreciate myself for who I was. I didn’t only realise that I was capable of waaaaay more than I ever dreamed possible. Along the way, I also learned just how badass women are. And how it’s a fucking tragedy that many of us don’t realise it.

Being in that gym every day and seeing women from all walks of life step onto that floor – young, old, pregnant, postpartum – pushing themselves daily to their limit. It was, and still is, nothing short of inspiring.

You might be thinking, ‘so what?’ They went to the gym lifted some weights and did some burpees. Anyone can do that. But there is so much more to it than that. I’m not just talking about the physical changes women see when they start weight training, but the mental changes too. Seeing that realisation in their faces when they start to discover and uncover their potential is magical.

Too long has it been instilled in us that shit like this is man’s work. That women are weaker. That weightlifting will make us bulky (wtf?) That’s it’s not our place. Too long has this been going on that it’s ingrained in not just our society but within us as well. Without realising it, we form unconscious biases on what is acceptable for us to do and what is not. We internalise this dialogue and tell ourselves it’s not possible. But it is! I’ve seen countless women become strong and fearless, in the face of adversity.

I’ve seen a woman do her first handstand, ever, at the age of 50.

I’ve seen pregnant women smash out CrossFit workouts.

I’ve seen 11 year old girls learn to clean & jerk.

I’ve seen one of my girlfriends deadlift 200fuckingkilos.

Being surrounded by badass girls and women on a daily basis is not just impressive, but also hugely inspiring and motivating to be my most badass self too.

Creating a girl gang!

I’ve always placed value on female friendships, but again never really appreciated or truly realised the power and necessity of them until recently.

I think it’s in part due to slowing down in recent years and taking the time to start appreciating what I’ve got instead on lamenting what I don’t have (something I’ve alway been guilty of).

I think it’s also down to living so far away from home and the support networks I’ve grown up with plays a part. You soon become aware of and a lot more appreciative of the strong bonds you form when you live so far away from home. Your friends very quickly become your family. I am also very lucky that my best friend and I moved to Australia together.

There’s something completely unique about the bonds you share with your closest gal pals. Likely born from a place of solidarity, they innately understand the struggles each other has gone through to get to where we are today. So much goes unsaid but there’s an understanding that goes deeper than anything you can imagine.

Having such an amazing network of strong women around me has helped me realise I am never going through anything alone, nor am I the only one experiencing something. I can be my true self, without any fear of judgement. When you have that kind of support everything feels possible.

A final word on my numero uno - my mother

Where I get my good looks from obviously

I am incredibly fortunate to have such a ridiculously strong, unwavering bond with my mum.

Sometimes, I think living on the other side of the world has brought us closer together. We speak almost every other day on the phone and never ever run out of things to say. My mum is an actual superwoman who never ceases to amaze me. She is so strong and so smart and I know they say ‘mum’s always right’ but she actually is! (Don’t tell her though ;) ) How can one woman be so wise? When did she get so wise? If I have a child, will I too become this worldly?

There is nothing that has ever or will ever phase her. Not the questionable hairstyle choices I’ve made throughout the years. Not the ‘fashion’ I’ve experimented with. Not the really aggressive metal music I’ve tried to push on her. Not even the time I told her I’m moving to the other side of the world and probably not coming back. She has supported me through it all and empowered me to believe I am capable of anything.

In summation: Women are magical fucking unicorns and every single one of us should be told this every. Single. Damn. Day!