What Happens When Women Come Together

As we celebrate Women’s History Month this March, we consider what happens when women come together.  

With an intuitive and emotional nature, women are biologically wired to be nurturing and find meaningful connections. Because of this, women tend to view the world differently than men. Women do not have the instincts to conquer and control, but rather to reach out, make contact and talk. 

When there is a need to help their communities and their loved ones, women come together. And with a united mission, these feminine qualities and purposeful drive have allowed women to create positive change in the world.  

“Anytime women come together, with a collective intention, magic happens.” – Phylicia Rashad

But just because they are nice, this does not mean women are not strong and capable. Women can be fierce, with a wild and inspiring energy. It is these combined gifts of strength and love that give women their power.  

In early human tribes, women shared in tasks like raising children, harvesting and gathering and practicing medicine. They did it all together as a collective, passing on advice and what they learned to inform and strengthen the other women in their community. 

This is something our modern societies have mostly evolved out of. But the results that occur when they do come together, with a shared purpose, are a force to be reckoned with. 

Achievements in History 

There are the obvious examples; the suffragettes and the feminist movements; and the recent #MeToo exposure, all of which had huge positive impact and are enough to tell you just how great of a positive influence women can have. 

But there are so many more examples of groups of women in history as instigators and inspirers of change; such as the Women’s March on Versailles signalling the start of the French Revolution or the Trưng Sisters who successfully rebelled against the Chinese Han-Dynasty rule. 

We all know about Rosa Parks, but it was a group called the Women’s Political Council who led a bus boycott after Park’s arrest. As a result of this action, Martin Luther King Jr. became involved. It was a critical event in the civil rights movement. 

Or how about the women of Liberia Mass Action for Peace, who met daily to bring focus on the need for peace after years of war. And of course, the Black Lives Matter movement was initiated by three women, who ignited activists throughout the US to take a stand for race equality. 

These examples and so many more prove the power that women have when they come together and make themselves heard. 

How to Come Together? 

There are many ways that women can join hands, connect and give strength and sound to their voices; through meetings and gatherings, marches and protests or with petitions and education. 

Women can form groups in their communities; like the Tangentyere Women’s Safety Group which educates women about domestic violence, empowers them to speak out and enables connection and support for one another. 

They can help each other become stronger in business through groups like Sallie Krawchek’s Ellevate Network; a professional network that supports women across many companies to change the culture of business. 

They can organize events like the annual Women of Vision national conference, where women gather together and act on behalf of those in poverty and oppression. 

The most incredibly impactful action women can take in their daily lives is to stop fighting themselves and celebrate each other; to stand up for one another and be a mentor to other women in the workplace and neighborhood.  

“Don’t underestimate the power of women supporting each other.” 

What is Gained? 

When women have an inner circle of close female contacts, they are more likely to be successful in business. Women benefit from collaboration over competition. 

When women open to the power of true sisterhood, everyone benefits. Sisterhood – a word popularized in 1970 by Kate Millet in the feminist movement at the time – stands for “the social union among women regardless of class, religion or ethnicity.” 

Anthropologist Marcela Lagarde describes sisterhood as “a friendship between women who became accomplices in order to work together.” 

The world needs women as leaders and game-changers. Women comprise more than half the population of earth. The reality of making real, positive change is entirely possible if all women come together and speak as a united voice. There would be no way they could be silenced if this were to happen.