International Women’s Month is often celebrated with images of polished perfection and effortless strength. But for many of us, the most radical act of womanhood isn’t looking perfect. It’s choosing to be visible when you know the world is going to stare.
I remember the first time I realised that my presence in a room changed the energy. It wasn’t just about the words I spoke; it was about the skin I was in. When you carry visible scars, you lose the luxury of blending in. People stare. Sometimes it’s curiosity, sometimes it’s pity, and sometimes it’s a reflection of their own fears.
For a long time, I wanted to shrink. I thought if I played small enough, I could avoid the weight of those gazes. But standing alongside other survivors for a Woman’s Day Magazine article, I realised that our visibility is actually our greatest service.
Being comfortable in my own skin doesn’t mean the staring stops. It means that the stare no longer has the power to define how I feel about myself. On this International Women’s Day, I want to celebrate the women who show up anyway. The women who take up space, scars and all, and give others permission to do the same.
We aren’t just surviving; we are leading. And if the world is going to stare, let’s give them something worth looking at: a woman who is fully, unapologetically herself.
Cheers,
Heather
