The only way to make change is to start change in yourself. No one is able to change the world in one day. It takes time and effort, but changing ourselves is a little easier. It can be something as simple as voicing your opinion when you see something you know is wrong, to something as time consuming as volunteering to work at a women's shelter. In order to make change we must all take part.

 

 

So... What changes will you make?

To help make changes, I will strive to say kind words to everyone. To encourage as much as I can and never say anything negative. We all have our struggles and it is not my place to judge, instead I want to accept and encourage.

I'm going to be more vocal about calling out sexist/racist/bigoted views. Sometimes it's easy when someone says something horrible to keep your mouth shut because you know they'll just label you as "too touchy" but if you call out these views you might not change the mind of the speaker but people nearby could be affected.

Ohhhh! That's a good one, Blank! I like it. And its not something you have to be mean about, either. Sometimes people just don't realize what they are saying and how it sounds. Just drawing attention to it and showing people how what they say is perceived makes a huge difference in inspiring change!

 

Thank you, Blank, for inspiring change! I will send you a PM soon to show your participation!

Exactly! I'm not wanting to be confrontational about it but sometimes pointing these things out makes people think about what they say more and the subconscious messages they send to others.

My main things is that I try to put a new perspective on what feminisn is to everyone who is willing to listen. I also talk very openly about my mental health issues to encourage more openness and a better way of treating people with mental illnesses, making more people accept that it is an actual illness and not just "somthing in your head". I encourage my female friends, and myself, to not be bound by the shakcles of commercial beauty and to not let ourselves be beaten down by the "perfect beauty". I talk alot to my oldest brother (he's 17) about how the things I'm passionate about, womens rights, gay rights, mental health awareness, animal rights. I'm a fosterhome for my local SPCA, I participate in demonstrations for animal rights. And right now I'm deeply passionate about a political thing going on here (the goverment party wants to let doctors reserve themselves from having to refer women to get an abortion).

 

 

I know it's not all women cause-related things, but to me they all tie deeply together, as it's causes that revolve around what I see as basic human rights and how to treat other humans and animals.

ive been changin myself and so at the samme time it changes the worlld around me, whethre becuse i see it diferent as i change or i take different actions that wil effect others, etc. im learning to be harder, share my thoughts and emotions less if can help it, and be less sympathetic - though mor empathic - while also learnin be more public insted of isolated because, so far, ive learned thats what seem to take to be a priest, you have to be a leader, more decisive, and you have to learnn to be everything everyon else isnt for them. Ive always been involved in local projectts, like helping someone build a new home or set up for a big celebraton or giving to people less fortunate, such as food or clothes, or taking in stray animalls or letting relatives who need somewhere to stay live with me, and ive always been involvd on soem level with conservation advocacy, but now these things have prety much become centre to me life, helping communities either by volunteering if i can or performing ceremonies and doing whatevar i can in terms of protecting and restoringh nature, and being very harsh on thos who dont conform and dont seem likely to be reformed. lol it can be said in a way Im making changes/differences, such as when I help someone out of generosity withuot expecting payment save kindness or when get involved in volunteer service in nationall park, but at the same time im working to keep certain things the way they are, because some things shouldnt and/or dont need to be changed. 

I work for change daily. I am a social worker.

 

Currently, I work on behalf of those with developmental disabilities. I also take in stray animals and donate to animal rescue and animal causes.

Helping commuters by not taking the right of way and let people pull into traffic lanes ahead of me or hold open the space so they can cut through traffic to make that left turn from a side street. Waiting for seniors to reach the open door I'm holding for them. Little effort, maximum appreciation.

There is a club sort of thing called USM (Universal Solidarity Movement) core-group of which I am part of. There are five paths to personal transformation. USM believes in changing the world through self transformation.

 

1. Prayer daily for world peace.

2. Do a small selfless act each day.

3. Honour everyone.

4. Honour Earth and its resources.

5. Skip a meal a week and use it to help someone. It can also be interpreted it skipping something you want but not need and use that money to help others.

Misheru, WildTaltos, Ryrin, Sagen, and Panchi, That is the wonderful thing about IWW. Yes, it is focused on women, but it includes all works of inspiration.

 

Misheru, I love Dove's campaign about natural beauty. And raising your son to be aware of the issues we all face is a great contribution to the world. It starts with one! I always worry about my daughters and their self esteem. If more young men believe a woman is beautiful no matter her outward appearance, more young women would love themselves for who they are.

 

WildTaltos, that's a long list of changes! lol Love it! Nature is something close to my heart. It is always there and always provides sanctuary for those who need it. We have to make sure it is still there for our future generations!

 

Ryrin, being a social worker is hard work! I have a friend who does the same, and I am amazed by some of the stories she tells. It can be so sad, but at the same time it is great knowing there is someone there to help when it is needed.

 

Sagen, As someone who travels through a tunnel where there is ALWAYS traffic, I understand! lol And you are so right! It is the little things that can help make a difference.

 

Panchi, giving up a meal is a very interesting concept. If everyone did this, I can imagine the amount of people it would help.

 

 

Keep them coming people! I love hearing how you all are inspiring change!

I personally work to change sexism within the nerd community. 

 

In my off-DM blog site, through my facebook group, and my personal areas of discussion, I strive to work against Nerd-shaming, (you can't be a real nerd cause you're a girl/too pretty/too young, etc)

 

"I've called people out on nerd-shaming at conventions, too. "What the heck [Jerk], Just cause we're girls doesn't mean we're less fans than you are or that we're obnoxious fangirl stereotypes. I like freaking Dr. Who because the stories are awesome, not cause I have the hots for Tennant." Words I've said. 

There is a club sort of thing called USM (Universal Solidarity Movement) core-group of which I am part of. There are five paths to personal transformation. USM believes in changing the world through self transformation.

 

1. Prayer daily for world peace.

2. Do a small selfless act each day.

3. Honour everyone.

4. Honour Earth and its resources.

5. Skip a meal a week and use it to help someone. It can also be interpreted it skipping something you want but not need and use that money to help others.

 

ive never heard of themm before but I think this is realy wonderful. lot of sociall movements/organisations usualy only take into account humans and forget abuot the ecology of other species that are equaly subject to sufferinng by irresponsiblle actions.

Misheru, WildTaltos, Ryrin, Sagen, and Panchi, That is the wonderful thing about IWW. Yes, it is focused on women, but it includes all works of inspiration.

 

Misheru, I love Dove's campaign about natural beauty. And raising your son to be aware of the issues we all face is a great contribution to the world. It starts with one! I always worry about my daughters and their self esteem. If more young men believe a woman is beautiful no matter her outward appearance, more young women would love themselves for who they are.

 

My brother, not my son (lol, he's 17 and I'm 26!), but the rest I completly agree with!

 

 

Things that make me happy:

 

http://www.buzzfeed.com/ryanhatesthis/lingerie-brand-aerie-isnt-retouching-their-models-with-photo

 

It is such a small thing really, but it can mean sooo much if more people follow! These are things I try to spread as much as possible and encourage others to be aware of. I've also been a little bit involved with a group here in Norway that wants retouched advertisements to be clearly marked as retouched (I wish I could be more involved, but chronic illnesses hinder me alot).

LOL Sorry, Misheru! I don't know how I got son, but either way, its a good thing you are doing!

 

Moon, I have seen this too. It seems like a community (the nerds) would be more understanding of differences because they have been bullied for so long, but that not what I see very often. It's sad really.

I've signed up to be a guest family for a guide dog for the physically disabled and had my first class yesterday and turns out I suck at it. So now I'm terrified that I'll mess it all up.

Our department has had talks about women in science and academia. I think my effort will be to stay involved or at least in the loop with progress on how that initiative is going and what I can do to further making a career in science an appealing prospect to women everywhere. 

 

For more info check out Athena Swan

Myst, I think being scared is natural. Inspiring change is also about concurring your fears.

 

 

RTE, inspiring change in the workplace is very hard. Even outside the sciences. I am doing job interviews now, and I am very careful not to tell my potential employers that I have children. I do this because those employers will automatically see a mother who will have to take time off anytime the kids get sick. Now in reality, my husband and I take turns staying home when the kids are sick, but I cannot guess at what it would be like for a single mother looking for a job.

 

Has anyone experienced this type of thing in the workplace?

In Belgium it is illegal for employers to ask certain questions during job interviews. Questions that can lead to discrimination of any sort are a big nono. Being refused a job because you're a mother would be considered discrimination here. Of course, employers are people too and people tend to become very creative in circumventing things that they don't like. So there is the reality of people being dismissed for discriminatory reasons but it being veiled with other, more vague reasons like 'does not fit the profile' or 'ranks third on the list of all candidates' or some such. It is very difficult to avoid but we can never stop fighting against it no matter how discouraging it can become.

Same here, Myst. My employer doesn't do any of those things. They hired a visibly pregnant woman and recently hired a 55 year old woman. It takes about a year to get a good handle on the job, so to me, these things are impressive.

We helped a friend this week make a submission video for Extreme Weight Loss. 

He weighs 531 lbs, no joke. 

good on you Moon! Sounds like he's on the edge of his life. I wish him the best of luck and a healthy dose of determination to see it through.

I helped him "script" the video. We filmed him talking (for about six hours) and I helped trim down and determine just what is important, what needed to be cut, and helped write up an introductory star-wars type crawl.

 

Really captured his personality and attitude (the good stuff, anyway) in the video. And I hope he gets selected for the show, he's gained over 200 lbs since we met him 10 years ago.