I have three brothers. We were raised by one beautiful woman in south-west Sydney. After 14 years out of the work force raising us kids, she struggled to get back in. She picked flowers on a flower farm almost 7 days a week to keep the roof over our heads (just, but she did it) and food on our plates.
I am lucky. Lucky I had a mother who instilled a good work ethic in me and always encouraged inclusion with her children. She never told me I couldn’t do exactly what my brothers were doing. Sure, she didn’t exactly love (okay she hated it) when I was five and really wanted to quit ballet and play Aussie Rules with the boys, but she never told me I couldn’t.
In year 7, my first year of high school, I came equal first in our end of year project for woodwork. Equal first with a boy. My teacher said to me in front of the class ‘did your dad help you with yours?’ It was more of a statement than a question. He didn’t ask the boy who also was marked the same as me. Mum and I still laugh about that. She’d never doubt I could beat a boy on the tools.
In year 10 I wanted to take panel beating as one of my subjects for school at TAFE, but the male careers advisor said I couldn’t because ‘you are a girl’. My mum never said I couldn’t. In hindsight, us girls were told a lot in school we’d never do things because we were girls. I cringe to think I only finished school in 2004.
I am lucky. I have three amazing brothers who let me on every snow and wakeboard trip (that I could get to), they let me play every footy game, and cricket match. I was allowed to bat or bowl first every single time I wanted to. When Nintendo 64 came out and they had introduced the wonderful 007 game where you could play four player, I of course also had my own control. And yes I always chose to be Natalya. I could go on for pages about how great these three were. But the point is, they never ever ever told me I couldn’t do something because I am a girl. They weren’t better than me, nor I them, we were equal. We are equal. Us four always looked at each other and never saw boy nor girl, rather person. Even now, it’s exactly the same. In fact they always have and always will push me to be better.
I am lucky. I have a wonderful boyfriend who never tells me I can’t, or I won’t. And believe me – I come up with some whacky ideas at times.
So on this International Women’s Day 2018, I want to shout out to the brilliant women in my life – and men. We are not fighting a gender war, but fighting to be equals. There are so many incredible women I work with and have in my life who I look up to. But I also want to say I am not afraid to point out that I also look up to some pretty incredible men.
chloeamandabailey 