Why are people running in a secret marathon?
How can a marathon be secret?
Why keep it secret?
International Women’s Day
This Thursday, March 8th is a special day that I hold near and dear – it’s International Women’s Day (IWD). It’s a day dedicated around the world to gender equality. If you don’t support gender equality you can stop reading and following me now. I have no time for you. Nor do I want you here. Go. Away.
Why does IWD matter to me?
Several years ago I was hired into a role at one of Canada’s largest Banks. I was hired at the same time as my peer, who happened to be a man. Same title, same job, same responsibilities. He was paid $10,000 a year more than me. Of course I wasn’t supposed to know this, but my colleague assumed we made the same amount since we had the same job … same credentials. Nope.
And let’s pause on this: $10,000.00 … that is a lot of money. And back in the 90’s, $10k was a fortune!
Being the sassy lady that I am, I asked the question of our boss: Why is Johnny Boy getting paid $10k more than me? What was I missing? The response was a stuttering …aahhhhhhh. And a blank stare.
Clearly the question was unexpected and the response was non-existent. There was no reason that could be found in our resumes or job descriptions. No reason given. The ONLY difference was our gender. Message received. Loud and clear.
That was my first big career job. And my first huge lesson in gender equality. But not my last.
Over the years I have been witness to men getting promoted when they were not the most qualified, women being held back due to their extra-circular activities known as “being mom”, and I’ve seen first hand the impact of #metoo on a woman and her career.
I am passionate about this because I have lived it. I don’t want to live it any more – and I certainly hate the thought of my kids living in such ugliness. But I am one voice – and what power does one voice have?
Well, I’m loud. And I’m not shy. So in my mind if I keep talking, shouting, singing and acting on my desire for equality than I am reaching someone. And like the Vidal Sassoon commercial said… she told two friends, and so on. If every individual said something outlaid I believe we will see EQUALITY FOR ALL in our lifetime (I’m coming up on 46 so get shouting!)
The U.N. is doing what they can at their level (see below) but not enough has changed – we need more organizations, leaders, government leaders, men/women and educators to join in to make gender equality real.
And while we are taking equality – let’s go for the gold. Equality for ALL! That is the goal folks. Equality for all.
So what does any of this have to do with my secret? Well, let me share…
I recently discovered a super sad fact. Women in Afghanistan are not ALLOWED to run in public. Yah, you read that right. And for those of you still here with me (because you are human and believe in equality for all) I know you are as outraged as I am. How can this be. It’s 2018! And it’s just running for goodness sake!
Who is doing something about this?
Well, there is a small group of super awesome folks (led by legendary marathoner Martin Parnell) trying to shed a light on gender equality (specifically in Afghanistan) through their documentary,
The Secret Marathon. They are documenting the plight of women in Afghanistan that are not allowed to run in public, yet bravely run in secret.
Running in Secret
I think about their struggle and I compare it to what I thought was a huge hardship back at the Bank. There is no comparison. To be denied the freedom of running in public is unimaginable.
Living in Canada makes the comparison so much worse – we live in a country where our PM is working for equality (for all) and we are free to make decisions, speak our truth, act on our beliefs and be who we are… we can run in public, regardless of our gender.
I’m doing something about it!
I’m going to keep doing what I’m doing but I’m also adding The Secret Marathon to my list of ‘To Do’s’. This Wednesday, on the eve of IWD, I will dedicating my run to the women of Afghanistan that will also be running in secret. I am giving these women my voice to share their story, to raise awareness and hopefully get them some much needed donations (to complete the documentary).
It’s simple for me. All I need to do is lace up and go out for a run, which I would have done anyway. Because I can.
I hope you join me – walk or run – it’s only 3k. And if you do, share your 3k across social media – maybe others will join in too! #3ksecretmarathon
- 1909 The first National Woman’s Day was observed in the United States on 28 February. The Socialist Party of America designated this day in honour of the 1908 garment workers’ strike in New York, where women protested against working conditions.
- 1910 The Socialist International, meeting in Copenhagen, established a Women’s Day, international in character, to honour the movement for women’s rights and to build support for achieving universal suffrage for women. The proposal was greeted with unanimous approval by the conference of over 100 women from 17 countries, which included the first three women elected to the Finnish Parliament. No fixed date was selected for the observance.
- 1911 As a result of the Copenhagen initiative, International Women’s Day was marked for the first time (19 March) in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland, where more than one million women and men attended rallies. In addition to the right to vote and to hold public office, they demanded women’s rights to work, to vocational training and to an end to discrimination on the job.
- 1913-1914 International Women’s Day also became a mechanism for protesting World War I. As part of the peace movement, Russian women observed their first International Women’s Day on the last Sunday in February. Elsewhere in Europe, on or around 8 March of the following year, women held rallies either to protest the war or to express solidarity with other activists.
- 1917 Against the backdrop of the war, women in Russia again chose to protest and strike for “Bread and Peace” on the last Sunday in February (which fell on 8 March on the Gregorian calendar). Four days later, the Czar abdicated and the provisional Government granted women the right to vote.
- 1975 During International Women’s Year, the United Nations began celebrating International Women’s Day on 8 March.
- 1995 The Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a historic roadmap signed by 189 governments, focused on 12 critical areas of concern, and envisioned a world where each woman and girl can exercise her choices, such as participating in politics, getting an education, having an income, and living in societies free from violence and discrimination.
- 2014 The 58th session of the Commission on the Status of Women (CSW58) – the annual gathering of States to address critical issues related to gender equality and women’s rights — focused on “Challenges and achievements in the implementation of the Millennium Development Goals for women and girls”. UN entities and accredited NGOs from around the world took stock of progress and remaining challenges towards meeting the eight Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). The MDGs have played an important role in galvanizing attention on and resources for gender equality and women’s empowerment.
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