Julie Helen: For me, real inclusion means being invited and accepted without having to change anything about who you are and what you need

THE International Women’s Day theme this year is “Inspire Inclusion” so it is quite possibly my favourite theme of all time, because the notion of inclusion is constantly on my mind and etched into my heart.

Happily, striving for inclusion is probably an activity many others would associate with me, particularly in the sphere of disability inclusion. I live and breathe it.

So, to inspire the inclusion of women and girls in society today, we have three aspects to consider: Inspiration, Inclusion and Women and Girls, and then and how all of those interact.

Firstly, let’s think about inclusion. Is being considered in decision-making enough? Is being present at any and all tables enough? Is being there enough? Is trying to fit in, enough? My gut tells me none of these things are real inclusion. They may lead to the beginning of inclusion.

For me, real inclusion means being invited and accepted without having to change anything about who you are and what you need. That seems like a small sentence, but it holds big significance for me. I have come to this definition from 39 years of wanting to be included as a disabled person and indeed as a woman, and growing up and as a teenager it became apparent that just “being there” isn’t enough.

Being at the table with other decision-makers, doesn’t mean anybody is listening. Having to fit in or having to mask or change something to be included in education or employment or any other facet of life is not inclusion, it’s integration. Being there but having to conform to what the other people at the table do is not inclusion, at a push it is integration or paying lip service or engaging in tokenism.

There is nothing worse than tokenism. If I am labouring a point, I am doing so on purpose because we can often be so good at ticking boxes, saying women or disabled people are welcome so that means they are included. It does not.

Women need to be welcome without having to change anything about their life, so we should never have to put our children on a shelf to work or feel like we can’t strive for what we want because we are struggling to juggle all the balls of life, whether it is social, emotional or health concerns. We should be included, fully, in all our parts.

Inspiring inclusion is different to including women because we have to. Inspiring means that you are so good at inclusion or so natural at it that you light a spark in others around you to do the same.

To really inspire, we must question how things are done, think creatively, and really shake things up to make a difference and an impact.

There is great responsibility and great power in inspiring other people. Inspire is a word I am very careful with and the women who inspire me are the ones who make or made me change the way I think or the way I feel - but even more than that, they make me change the way I do things, to be reflective, to be empathetic towards others, to be deliberate in being inclusive, and making sure it is at the forefront of my mind rather than an after- thought.

We can inspire inclusion of women in big and small ways, we can stand with each other, in encouragement and understanding. We can be mindful that life is a melting pot of all competing thoughts, words and actions, and we can try and go through the world supporting each other.

If a woman inspires you today, tell her.

Happy International Women’s Day