Once again, I am compelled to blog about a movie....but not just a movie, but an inspirational story and life....He Named Me Malala. I assume that there are very few women, or men for that matter, who don't know the story of Malala Yousafzai. Briefly, Malala is a Pakistani teenager who spoke out about the importance of education for women and was shot in the head by the Taliban. Women in business, and all women, can learn a lot from Malala. 
The attempt to silence Malaha took place in October 2012 and her injuries almost took her life. The book about her life and now the movie, share the story that must be told over and over again so that women around the world don't forget. Even American women must be reminded to let their voices be heard and not to be drown out by the male voices that surround them. It is still my experience to hear about women being told to be quiet, or tone it down or just shut up. Gender equity means women's voices must carry as much influence as male voices and anything less is outrageous.
In 1982 Carol Gilligan published In A Different Voice which shared the research of the differences of male and female ways of speech. One of the glaring findings for me, and something I witnessed just this week, is how in middle school the boys out talk the girls in class. In other words, when asked a question the boys in the class speak up more often than the girls and even when a girl does speak up she is often spoken over. The result is that girls begin to silence themselves in response and too often this is the beginning lesson that only males have something of value to say. I could rant on this for pages, but my point is to let women know that only we can change this for ourselves.
As a business coach, I hear from women in business clients regularly that they are asked to keep quiet on certain issues so as not to cause disruption in the workplace. Recently, I was told myself to tone it down as I was threatening to the men in the room. When I asked how what I was saying was threatening, I was told that it was because I was too confident and competent. How's that for scary?
This blog is not meant to be a history lesson, but we must never forget that if our sisters had not spoken up in 1920 women would still not have the right to vote. And, if our sisters had not spoken up in 1974, women would still not have the right to have credit in their own name. So, every day around the world women must continue to speak up for what they believe is right.
As Malala stated when she won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2014, " Thank you to my father for not clipping my wings and for letting me fly. Thank you to my mother for inspiring me to be patient and to always speak the truth.....I am here to stand up for their rights, to raise their voice (the forgotten children who want education)… it is not time to pity them. It is time to take action so it becomes the last time, the last time, so it becomes the last time that we see a child deprived of education."
It is not a surprise that Malala learned to use your voice from her father and her mother as I hear this every day from the women I work with who use their voices well. Yet, all women have not be nurtured by parents who have learned the power of their own voices so to these women I say, there is nothing more empowering then to be heard! Women must be valued for our voices not our appearance.
So, how do you get started using your voice? Start slow and steady, if necessary, with those who know you and love you. Then branch out into your workplace with your peers and step by step with those who can make the difference in your career. It is your voice that will rise you up and give you the opportunity to be the best YOU that you can be.
