Reclaiming wants and needs as a woman

When I envisage my dreams and visions for myself and my community, it is easily summarised as follows: I want to be empowered. I want to empower others.

I want. No. I NEED to be active and vocal in my communities.
I want. No. I NEED to continue my quest to find dialogue about disability that doesn't favour pathology, but instead focuses on opportunity, and then share this with the world.
I want. No. I NEED to continue to raise people’s awareness about inclusiveness online and offline so that all communities are considered and enabled, not just some of them.
I want. No. I NEED a world that treats all people - with disability or without - equally and without pity.

As a woman, I feel slightly selfish and guilty for discussing my desires for my life, my community and the world in terms of "wants" and "needs". As a sex, we are often used to subjugating our own desires to meet the needs of others instead.

But now it is time. Time to reclaim our wants and our need for ourselves, and the greater good of society.

After all, there is no time to waste. There is still so much work that needs to be done to empower women with a disability - through dialogue and by showcasing positive action. There are articles to write, workshops to be held, and practical demonstrations to be completed. And so while there might be a lot of it, this work is good work, and worthy of being desired, wanted and needed. Because by empowering myself and others in my local and world-wide communities though conversation, I know that my friends, contacts and associates will work to empower others.

Pass it on, dumbo feather. Ad infinitum.

See, subjugating desires is easy. Feeling hopeless is easy. It is also easy to question one’s self, to become apathetic, to think that one lone voice in the world has no impact. What’s hard is having the personal strength to desire and strive. To continue no-matter what, and in spite of, popular conventions or people who might otherwise suggest that things can’t be done.

Every day I remind myself that it's not the barriers that matter, but how you approach them, that does.

But there is no shame in admitting that having strength takes practice, and I want, no. I NEED more! Subsequently, as well as helping me obtain further skills in the world of the web, being a Voice of the Future correspondent will help me maintain and practise my commitment to empowerment. It will allow me to fine-tune my voice, and strengthen my dialogue. Meeting a like-minded community of strong women will also help give me the personal courage I need to continue with my quest, and practise time, and time agai,n completely encompassing the values of strength and equality that I espouse every day. All of us are works in progress, and this is both beautiful and divine.

I am not ashamed to say that I want. I am not ashamed to say I need.

I will continue to empower myself and others. And while I can continue in this journey by myself, I choose to do it with my newfound friends on WorldPulse. I choose to do it hand in hand with you.

After all, women who band together are stronger. Yes?

You betcha!